The White House in Washington, D.C., is seen from the North Lawn during a press preview of the holiday decorations on Monday, November 27, 2023. This year’s theme is 'Magic, Wonder and Joy of the Holidays.’
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The Big Story
Administration officials huddle on AI risks
Members of the Biden administration met to discuss how to implement President Biden’s artificial intelligence (AI) executive order Tuesday for the inaugural meeting of the White House AI Council, according to an official.
Officials received a classified intelligence briefing from the president’s national security team to discuss the international dimensions and capability of AI, according to the White House official.
The group included members of the Cabinet, such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimond0 and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
They also discussed ways to bring talent and expertise into the government, how to safety test for new models and ways to prevent risks associated with AI — such as fraud, discrimination and privacy risks, according to the official.
The group also discussed the new U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute, announced by the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) last month.
Other attendees included Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough, deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed, acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Arati Prabhakar.
A federal judge upheld a Texas law that bans the use of TikTok on state-owned devices and networks in a Monday order. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman rejected a lawsuit brought by the Knight First Amendment Institue at Columbia University, which argued the Texas law violated the First Amendment by prohibiting the use of TikTok on public university Wi-Fi. “While the Court recognizes the importance both of protecting …
Story at a glance A Quick Response (QR) code is a group of black and white pixels usually in the shape of a square. Each one has an individualized pattern that encodes data that provides information about a product or service. As more people begin using them, thieves looking to steal your money and other information are creating harmful links embedded into the code. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – Using a QR code is becoming …
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released Tuesday found federal agencies have more than 1,200 potential uses for artificial intelligence (AI), with more than 200 already being employed. “Given the rapid growth in capabilities and widespread adoption of AI, the federal government must manage its use of AI in a responsible way to minimize risk, achieve intended outcomes, and avoid unintended consequences,” the …
The ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and the militant Palestinian group Hamas topped Google’s 2023 news search list, according to the tech giant. The top search globally in the “News” category was: “War in Israel and Gaza.” Other categories on the annual record include “People,” “Passings” and “Actors.” The war in the Gaza Strip — which began Oct. 7 after …
News we’ve flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:
Energy Department opens new AI office
The Department of Energy opened a new office — the Office of Critical and Emerging Technology — tasked with overseeing the government’s support for and use of AI, biotech, quantum computing and semiconductors, Semafor reported.
Blue Origin plans to restart launches next week
Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, plans to launch an unmanned mission with its New Shepard rocket as soon as Dec. 18, following a 15-month pause in operations, TechCrunch reported.
On Our Radar
Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:
The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on “Leveraging Agency Expertise to Foster American AI Leadership and Innovation” on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights will hold a hearing on “The New Invisible Hand? The Impact of Algorithms on Competition and Consumer Rights” on Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET.
House Republicans on Tuesday took a step toward voting to authorize an impeachment inquiry into President Biden, passing the resolution to do so out … Read more
The University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has named J. Larry Jameson as its interim president after former head Liz Magill was ousted following controversial … Read more
