The Pentagon's AI Ethics Draft Is Actually Pretty Good

The much-anticipated draft document released on Thursday by a Pentagon advisory group goes beyond similar lists of principles promulgated by big tech companies. If the military manages to adopt, implement, and follow the guidelines, it would leap into an increasingly rare position as a leader in establishing standards for the wider tech world. After Pentagon leaders asked the Defense Innovation Board to draft a list of principles late last year, the board enlisted "human rights experts, computer scientists, technologists, researchers, civil society leaders, philosophers, venture capitalists, business leaders, and DoD officials," including representatives from Facebook, Microsoft, Google and other similar outfits. The Board voted to adopt the draft on Thursday. "AI is expected to affect every corner of the Department and transform the character of war," the draft document says.