The Trouble With 'Responsible AI': Irresponsible Government Regulation

The trouble with AI is that it lacks a clear definition. Lacking a clear definition hasn't stopped many people from fretting about this new, very powerful technology--it is some kind of "intelligence" after all. So we hear calls for "responsible AI," and watch the establishment of "AI ethics"-related corporate departments, research centers, consulting practices, and new job categories. Most important, we see the emergence of new, irresponsible government regulation. A new New York City regulation, going into effect next January, will require companies to conduct audits to identify biases in the AI programs they use for hiring employees.