Biden team wades into open source AI controversy

The Biden Administration has big plans to tackle one of the AI boom's sharpest controversies—whether open source AI models make society safer or put the world at greater risk. The White House's wide-ranging AI executive order this year tasked the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) with studying the open source question and recommending actions. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson wants to hear a wide range of viewpoints before making recommendations in a report due to the White House by next July. Director Davidson said he was glad that President Biden's executive order sought further exploration into what role open source AI should play rather than endorsing or rejecting the approach. In terms of risk, Administrator Davidson said he is largely focused on present harms, such as bias, security and trust, rather than the existential risk that AI could destroy humanity — though he also said addressing the former could help prevent the latter.