To help managers ensure accountability and responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in government programs and processes, GAO developed an AI accountability framework. This framework is organized around four complementary principles, which address governance, data, performance, and monitoring. For each principle, the framework describes key practices for federal agencies and other entities that are considering, selecting, and implementing AI systems. Each practice includes a set of questions for entities, auditors, and third-party assessors to consider, as well as procedures for auditors and third- party assessors. AI is a transformative technology with applications in medicine, agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, defense, and many other areas. It also holds substantial promise for improving government operations.

There has been a lot of talk over the past months about AI being our best or worst invention ever. The chance of robots taking over and the following catastrophic sci-fi scenario makes the ethical and purposeful design of machines and algorithms not simply important but necessary. But the problems do not end here. Incorporating ethical principles into our technology development process should not just be a way to prevent human race extinction but also a way to understand how to use the power coming from that technology responsibly. This article does not want to be a guide for ethics for AI or setting the guidelines for building ethical technologies.