Commerce appoints 27 experts to National AI Advisory Committee

The Department of Commerce appointed 27 experts Thursday to its committee tasked with advising the White House on artificial intelligence issues.

Candidates across academia, industry, nonprofits and civil society were nominated by the public to serve on the National AI Advisory Committee, which will make recommendations on U.S. global competitiveness, the state of science and the workforce in the space.

DOC established the committee in September in accordance with the National AI Initiative Act of 2020, but these mark the first appointments to the body, which is also expected to advise the president and National AI Initiative Office on the management and funding of the initiative itself.

“Responsible AI development is instrumental to our strategic competition with China,” said Don Graves, deputy secretary of Commerce, in the announcement. “At the same time, we must remain steadfast in mitigating the risks associated with this emerging technology and others while ensuring that all Americans can benefit.”

The committee will influence U.S. AI policy for decades, Graves added.

Members include representatives from Google; BSA: The Software Alliance; Salesforce; Stanford University; Carnegie Mellon University; Microsoft; IBM; Credo AI; Amazon Web Services; NVIDIA; and the SAS Institute among others. They will serve three-year terms and up to two consecutively, at the discretion of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

The committee will also establish a subcommittee on the use of AI in law enforcement to advise on bias, data security, adoptability, and legal standards around privacy and civil rights. NAIAC’s first meeting is on May 4 and will be publicly webcast with administrative support provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

“AI is already transforming the world as we know it including science, medicine, transportation, communications, and access to goods and services,” said Alondra Nelson, head of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and deputy assistant to the president, in a statement. “The expertise of NAIAC will be critical in helping to ensure the U.S. leads the world in the ethical development and adoption of AI, provides inclusive employment and education opportunities for the American public, and protects civil rights and civil liberties in our digital age.”