In early April, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a pair of memos to provide agencies with guardrails for how they use and purchase artificial intelligence (AI). These memos replaced guidance issued by the previous administration but maintain many of the same structures.
The first memorandum, M-25-21, gives agencies three priorities when accelerating the federal use of AI: innovation, governance, and public trust. It states, "...agencies are directed to provide improved services to the public, while maintaining strong safeguards for civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy." The memo maintains items that were established under the Biden administration, including:
- The creation of chief AI officer roles and AI councils "to serve as change agents and AI advocates, rather than overseeing layers of bureaucracy."
- Implement minimum risk management practices for "high-impact" AI use--those applications of AI that could have significant impacts when deployed.
