DOD Adopts Ethical Principles for AI Development, Use - Air Force Magazine

The Defense Department has adopted a series of ethical principles intended to guide the development and use of artificial intelligence on and off the battlefield, including taking "deliberate steps to minimize unintended bias" and ensuring the ability to "deactivate" systems that aren't behaving as expected. The principles are based on the recommendations of the Defense Innovation Board, which spent 15 months consulting with AI experts in industry, government, and academia, according to a Feb. 24 DOD release. The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center will coordinate the implementation of these principles across the department. "The United States, together with our allies and partners, must accelerate the adoption of AI and lead in its national security applications to maintain our strategic position, prevail on future battlefields, and safeguard the rules-based international order," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a release. "AI technology will change much about the battlefield of the future, but nothing will change America's steadfast commitment to responsible and lawful behavior."