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Showing posts with label Joe Biden. Show all posts
US President
AI AI Executive Order AI Policy AI regulation AI Safety AI technology Artificial Intelligence Joe Biden Technology US President

Prez Biden Signs AI Executive Order for Monitoring AI Policies


On November 2, US President Joe Biden signed a new comprehensive executive order detailing intentions for business control and governmental monitoring of artificial intelligence. The legislation, released on October 30, aims at addressing several widespread issues in regard to privacy concerns, bias and misinformation enabled by the high-end AI technology that is becoming more and more ingrained in the contemporary world. 

The White House's Executive Order Fact Sheet makes it obvious that US regulatory authorities aim to both try to govern and benefit from the vast spectrum of emerging and rebranded "artificial intelligence" technologies, even though the solutions are still primarily conceptual.

The administrator’s executive order aims at creating new guidelines for the security and safety of AI use. By applying the Defense Production Act, the order directs businesses to provide US regulators with safety test results and other crucial data whenever they are developing AI that could present a "serious risk" for US military, economic, or public security. However, it is still unclear who will be monitoring these risks and to what extent. 

Nevertheless, prior to the public distribution of any such AI programs, the National Institute of Standards and Technology will shortly establish safety requirements that must be fulfilled.

In regards to the order, Ben Buchanan, the White House Senior Advisor for AI said, “I think in many respects AI policy is like running a decathlon, where we don’t get to pick and choose which events we do[…]We have to do safety and security, we have to do civil rights and equity, we have to do worker protections, consumer protections, the international dimension, government use of AI, [while] making sure we have a competitive ecosystem here.”

“Probably some of [order’s] most significant actions are [setting] standards for AI safety, security, and trust. And then require that companies notify us of large-scale AI development, and that they share the tests of those systems in accordance with those standards[…]Before it goes out to the public, it needs to be safe, secure, and trustworthy,” Mr. Buchanan added. 

A Long Road Ahead

In an announcement made by President Biden on Monday, he urged Congress to enact bipartisan data privacy legislation to “protect all Americans, especially kids,” from AI risks. 

While several US states like Massachusetts, California, Virginia, and Colorado have agreed on passing the legislation, the US however lacks comprehensive legal safeguards akin to the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

GDPR, enacted in 2018, severely limits how businesses can access the personal data of their customers. If they are found to be violating the law, they may as well face hefty fines. 

However, according to Sarah Kreps, professor of government and director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University, the White House's most recent requests for data privacy laws "are unlikely to be answered[…]Both sides concur that action is necessary, but they cannot agree on how it should be carried out."  

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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
Cyber Security Cyber Trust Mark FCC Federal Communications Commission Home Security Joe Biden NIST U.S. government U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Cyber Trust Mark: U.S. Administration Introduces Program to Boost Home Security


This Tuesday, Joe Biden’s government announced a ‘U.S. Cyber Trust Mark’ program that will focus on cybersecurity certification and product labels of smart home tech, as a step to help consumers choose products that provide better protection against cyber activities.

The new program was proposed by the Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel. The program apparently aims at helping consumers make well-informed decisions over purchasing products, like identifying the marketplace with advance cybersecurity standards.

"The goal of the program is to provide tools for consumers to make informed decisions about the relative security of products they choose to bring into their homes," the administration said.

U.S. Cyber Trust Mark

Under the proposed programs, consumers are likely to see a newly formed “U.S. Cyber Trust Mark” label, that will serve as a shield logo, distinguishing the products that satisfies the established cybersecurity criteria. Apparently, these criteria will be decided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), which will include criteria like unique and strong default passwords, data protection, software updates and incident detection capabilities.

According to the administration, a number of significant retailers, trade groups, and manufacturers of consumer goods such electronics, appliances, and consumer goods have made voluntarily commitments to improve cybersecurity for the products they sell. Amazon, Best Buy, Google, LG Electronics USA, Logitech, and Samsung Electronics are among the participants.

Plans for the program was prior discussed by the Biden administration in late 2022 to establish a voluntary initiative with internet of things makers to help ensure products meet minimum security standards.

Reportedly, the FCC, which is responsible for regulating wireless communication devices is set to seek public comment regarding the labeling program by 2024.

According to the administration, the FCC is applying for registration to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to register a national trademark that would be used on products that satisfy the predetermined standards. 

"The proposal seeks input on issues including the scope of devices for sale in the U.S. that should be eligible for inclusion in the labeling program, who should oversee and manage the program, how to develop the security standards that could apply to different types of devices, how to demonstrate compliance with those security standards, how to safeguard the cybersecurity label against unauthorized use, and how to educate consumers about the program," the FCC notice says.

The proposal highlights inclusion of a QR code to products that will provide consumers with information, pending a certification mark approval by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

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US Government
Bitcoin CBDC cryptocurrency Joe Biden RFK Jr. Technology US Democratic presidential candidate US Government

RFK Jr. Criticizes Crypto, Following Anti-CBDC Remark


On Tuesday, US Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy has taken another dig at cryptocurrency, following earlier comments he made opposing a U.S. central bank digital currency, or CBDC. His tweets came out swinging on defense of the digital assets sector, denouncing what he called a "war on crypto."

Kennedy officially declared his 2024 presidential bid last month. He stated that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) have "no authority to wage an extra-legal war on crypto that leaves major banks as collateral damage."

Kennedy cited an article by Ellen Brown titled "How the War on Crypto Triggered a Banking Crisis," in which Brown makes a "strong case" that a government-sponsored campaign against the digital assets sector was responsible for several historic bank failures in March, including Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank.

It is debatable whether there is a coordinated attempt to remove cryptocurrency from the American financial system. According to Barney Frank, an ex-congressman who served on the board of directors of Signature Bank, “the institution was shut down to send an anti-crypto message.” These assertions were later denied by a New York regulator.. On May 2, Kennedy criticized Biden on May 2 for calling the US banking system "safe and sound.” “Today, bank stocks are crashing. The American people deserve more than glib assurances and perception management,” he tweeted.

Following this, on May 3, he criticized the Biden administration's proposed tax on crypto mining. An environmental lawyer, Kennedy called the proposed 30% tax on energy used by crypto miners "a bad idea" He said mining's energy use was a concern (though somewhat overstated), stating, “The environmental argument is a selective pretext to suppress anything that threatens elite power structures, Bitcoint for example.”

Days after Kennedy's anti-CBDC comments, the Federal Reserve clarified its position, stating that the FedNow payments system, which Kennedy claimed to equate with a CBDC, is neither a digital currency nor a replacement for cash.

While some Democrats, such as Elizabeth Warren, have repeatedly criticized cryptocurrency and made it a centerpiece of their political platforms, others, such as New York City Mayor Eric Adams, have been outspoken in their support for the emerging asset class.  

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Vladimir Putin
Cyber Attacks Geneva Meeting Joe Biden Ransomware attack Vladimir Putin

Geneva: The Hot Topic For the Meeting Between US and Russian President

 

President Joe Biden will meet in person for the first time since taking office with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Geneva on June 16. The ransomware attacks on US organizations will be a core issue for this meeting. Biden suggested earlier this month that he would discuss with Putin the recent ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline, which led to a shutdown of the country's largest gas pipeline.

The Kremlin has a historical past of working with cybercriminals, and many consultants believe the cyberattacks wouldn’t be taking place without some measure of consent from Putin. US president should demand action from Putin and he should take steps to ensure hackers who target the US, and the governments who facilitate their work or flip a blind eye to it, pay a worth.

"The scale of this problem is one that I think the country has to come to terms with." Fortunately, we're getting the first salvos to help the US and other countries build up defenses (The US isn't the only country struggling with this problem; just last month, Ireland's health services suffered a serious cyberattack). The Biden administration has instructed private companies to bolster their cybersecurity as it designs the government's strategy,” FBI Director Christopher Wray, who likened the problem of the menace to 9/11, informed The Wall Avenue Journal. 

The epidemic of ransomware crimes and different hacks is not only an American downside; it is one of many outgrowths of globalization. The US is planning to deal with one other pernicious outgrowth of globalization — the flexibility of companies to keep away from paying taxes, by bringing nations collectively to determine an escape-proof minimal company tax — the Biden administration ought to lead in forging a joint method to transnational cybercrime.

Russia has already interfered with elections in several nations, now its cybercriminals are busy extorting non-public companies and municipalities. But they are hardly alone. The Atlanta ransomware assault, which paralyzed companies and price the town hundreds of thousands, was traced again to Iranian hackers. The New York subway hack has been reportedly linked to Chinese hackers, who are becoming major players in the ransomware field.

Earlier this month, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that ransomware attacks in America are to be investigated with a similar urgency as incidences of terrorism. 

“It’s a specialized process to ensure we track all ransomware cases regardless of where it may be referred in this country, so you can make the connections between actors and work your way up to disrupt the whole chain,” said principal associate deputy attorney general at the Justice Department, John Carlin.
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