US Task Force Plans to Share Government Data with Academia and Private Sector
On June 10th, 2021, the White House administration launched an effort to provide additional government data to artificial intelligence researchers. The move, which aims to ensure the United States remains at the forefront of AI research, will provide invaluable data to academia and the private sector for developing new tools.
In addition to offering access to data, the initiative may also provide access to government-run computing power, which can be especially useful for cutting-edge academic research.
The initiative seeks to provide a broad range of data, including information about health, driving habits, and demographics. Leading the sharing of data will be the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force, which contains 12 members, comprising members of government, industry, and academia. The task force itself will be run by National Science Foundation officials alongside White House Office of Science and Technology Policy officials.
The task force is authorized as part of the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative. This initiative was included in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which finally became law on January 1st, 2021.
Recent Emphasis on AI
Although the United States has long been considered the worldwide leader in AI development, it’s seeing its position challenged from other global powers. Russia, in particular, remains a worthy adversary of the United States in terms of intelligence, and its investments in collecting data from other nations have made the country a leader in cyber espionage and similar areas. All of these fields are being advanced by AI technology, potentially giving Russia an advantage if it’s able to leverage its burgeoning AI capabilities effectively.
Perhaps the most important driving force behind interest in boosting US artificial intelligence efforts, however, is China, which has set a clear long-term goal in becoming the worldwide leader in AI. In recent years, China has made AI research a top priority, with young students being prepared for a potential career in AI development and universities spending unrivaled amounts of money on research. Although the US still maintains its AI lead according to research and expert opinion, many project a future where Russia, China, or European nations might claim the top spot unless the US increases its AI investments significantly. The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative is providing funding, but it’s also creating various plans to craft roadmaps for future investment and research.
Sensitive Data
Some government information is relatively easy to share. Data about driving patterns and habits on public roads, for example, is relatively unencumbered. The laws governing how the US can use and share other types of data, however, are complex, and ensuring potentially sensitive information is shared with non-government entities in a compliant manner is key to protecting the rights of individuals. Medical data, for example, is covered by a vast array of laws limiting what sorts of information can be shared and how. A goal of the task force is to ensure information is only provided in a legally sound manner that protects individuals’ privacy as dictated by law.
Even in areas where laws allow the relatively easy sharing of information, the task force aims to protect privacy. Ethical considerations are key to its findings, as it aims to provide a durable set of guidelines for future data sharing and research.
Invaluable Information
Although private and academic organizations can offer a robust set of data in a number of areas, none match the capabilities of the US government. Although much of the information collected by the government is publicly released, agencies often keep certain information private; the Census Bureau, for example, doesn’t release its raw data, which may contain potentially valuable information for AI researchers. The algorithms and other techniques that drive AI are critical but developing these systems and utilizing them in a useful manner demand high-quality data.
Furthermore, private and academic organizations are unlikely to pursue certain potential use cases of AI if access to useful data is not possible. By providing access to new types of data, the US may be able to spur new areas of research and product development.
Broad Range of Benefits
While the national security benefits of AI are clear, the creation of the task force and other ongoing and planned AI efforts might prove to have broad-ranging effects on society. By helping academics and private organizations learn from traffic information, for example, companies will be better equipped to develop self-driving automobile technology. Furthermore, local governments may be better able to direct and control traffic, while city planners will be able to rely on AI-derived insight to build or modify roads to better accommodate the needs of drivers. These fields are driven by data, and better AI systems can provide invaluable clarity.
Healthcare, too, stands to benefit. Advancements in Big Data and machine learning give physicians the ability to more precisely diagnose patients and determine the most effective course of treatment. In addition, public health initiatives are more efficient when AI is able to detect previously invisible correlations.
Perhaps most compelling, however, is the clear economic benefits countries able to foster AI developing will reap. Studies consistently show that demand for better AI systems will accelerate dramatically in the coming years, and countries able to provide effective solutions stand to benefit tremendously. In the US, efforts to foster collaboration between data-rich government entities with academia and the private sector are likely to prove profitable over the coming years and decades.
Unlike many other aspects of public policy, there is broad bipartisan support for investment in AI technology in the United States. Although the US has enjoyed a significant head start over the rest of the world, large investments in nations across the globe might lead to greater competition, and some experts even anticipate that the US might lose its lead. With the launch of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Task Force, the US is showing that it intends to remain the AI leader for both national security and the economy.