Executive Order Targets Safety & Security, Consumer Privacy, And Algorithmic Discrimination
Duane Morris Takeaway: This week’s episode of the Class Action Weekly Wire features Duane Morris partners Jerry Maatman and Alex Karasik and associate George Schaller with their discussion of the landmark Executive Order published by the White House last week regarding artificial intelligence. The EO provides a good roadmap for employers of the federal government’s regulatory goals as artificial intelligence begins to take firm root throughout all sectors of the American economy.
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Episode Transcript
Jerry Maatman: Hello loyal blog readers, welcome to this week’s installment of our Class Action Weekly Wire series. I’m joined today by my colleagues Alex Karasik and George Schaller for an interesting discussion on artificial intelligence. Welcome Alex and George.
Alex Karasik: Thank you Jerry, always a pleasure.
George Schaller: Great to be here, Jerry.
Jerry: Today we’re talking about an important issue that has been in the news over the last week, and that is the White House initiative on artificial intelligence. Alex, can you give provide some overviews of what employers and corporations need to know about this particular event?
Alex: Absolutely, Jerry – like many federal, state, and local regulatory bodies, the White House is also paying attention to AI in terms of what its impact might be on a broad range on constituents. The Executive Order endeavors to cover eight key areas: consumer protection, workers’ protection, safety and security, privacy, innovation and competition, global leadership, and the government’s own use of AI. And in setting the tone on the regulatory front, this marks the White House’s commitment to these areas. The broad range means that essentially every sector of the American business economy could be potentially underneath the umbrella of AI and impacted by this new development.
Jerry: I found it fascinating that the White House and President Biden would focus on and get involved in potential regulation and policy statements in artificial intelligence. George, what does the Executive Order say and contemplate with respect to issues involving safety and security?
George: That’s a great question, Jerry. The EO directs the creation of new safety and security standards in requiring safety testing and reporting, standard safety tests, biological synthesis screening, determining best practices for detecting AI-generated content, establishing a cybersecurity program, and ordering the development of a national security memorandum. There are many AI-enabled problems like “deep fakes” and disinformation campaigns, and these are key targets in this area. Right now the processes and technologies for labeling the origins of text, audio, and visual content is further behind than the advancement of AI tools – a reliable way to identify machine-generated content does not yet exist.
On the privacy viewpoint, the EO includes evaluating how government agencies collect and use commercially available information, as well as enhancing privacy guidance for federal agencies.
Jerry: The phone calls I’ve gotten over the last ten days from general counsel of companies with whom we work focused on their responsibilities, obligations, and duties as employers. Alex, in pivoting to anti-discrimination issues and how artificial intelligence may impact workplace litigation issues – are there particular topics, areas, and issues that employers should focus on in the wake of the Executive Order?
Alex: Thank you, Jerry, that’s a great question. If we had to boil this down to three topics that are most impacted by the Executive Order in terms of anti-discrimination laws, it would be equity, workers’ protection, and civil rights. And what’s the common thread that ties all these topics together? Algorithmic fairness and algorithmic discrimination is a common theme. For example, the EO mentions making sure that federal contractor programs are being monitored for not having any type of discriminatory impact on those that are being hired. We’ve also seen something similar in New York City, where in July of 2023, there was an algorithmic fairness law that came out about the use of artificial intelligence in hiring processes. And we anticipate that the Executive Order is starting the conversation on the federal level. Whether or not and how the Executive Order will be enforced remains to be seen, but nonetheless I think this signifies that the federal government is aware what state and local governments are doing around the country and they’re now starting that conversation from a broader, bigger level.
George: Additionally, the EO highlights the importance of responsible and effective government use of AI by issuing guidance, acquiring products, and hiring professionals for government agencies. The EEOC has artificial intelligence in its strategic sights as well – both on the enforcement level and as an agency resource. It will be important to watch how different government agencies will be involved with carrying out the eight priorities set forth in the EO and considering the short timelines outlined, and further down the road, seeing what the extent of the enforcement strategy will be.
Alex: The Executive Order also aims to identify the benefits of AI and see how this technology could be used for good purposes. In addition, the Executive Order calls for monitoring of the labor markets to see what is the actual impact of this technology in terms of how it’s being used – is it having a good impact, are there potential harms that are arising from its use? Essentially, the Executive Order wants more data to make the most informed decisions.
Jerry: It struck me that this 100-page Executive Order is, in essence, the first ten feet in a race that is probably as long as a marathon, and this is that starting salvo in terms of the government getting involved in AI regulation. More importantly, the plaintiffs’ bar is nothing if not innovative, and certainly the use of artificial intelligence, applications of it, and challenges to its use are going to be things that I believe are going to find their way into privacy-related class action litigation and employment-related class action litigation, at least at the start.
George and Alex, thank you for your comments and thought leadership in this area, and loyal blog readers, we’ll see you next week on our future installment of the Class Action Weekly Wire.