Biden meets with AI experts on managing risks

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—President Biden on Tuesday met with artificial intelligence (AI) experts and researchers in San Francisco about managing the risks of the new technology..

The president was joined by Jim Steyer, the CEO of Common Sense Media, Tristan Harris, the co-founder of the Center for Human Technology, Joy Buolamwin, the founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, and Oren Etzioni, the former CEO of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, among others. The president is in San Francisco until Wednesday.

Biden kicked off the meeting saying he expects to see “more change in the next 10 years than we’ve seen in the last 50 years and maybe beyond that,” adding that AI is driving that change.

“We need to manage the risks to our society, to our economy, and our national security,” he said. “I have a lot to learn and we also have a lot to discuss.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) sat next to Biden during the meeting.

“These experts include those who have been outspoken on the impact of AI on jobs, children, bias and prejudice, the risks posed by AI if it isn’t properly regulated, and also those who understand the benefits it provides for education and medicine if this technology is built safely from the start,” according to a White House official.

The White House has said that AI is a top priority for the president. White House chief of staff Jeff Zients “is overseeing a process to rapidly develop decisive actions” on AI to take over the coming weeks, the official said.

And, White House principals have discussed AI two to three times a week as the White House is working to secure commitments from leading AI companies about challenges from the government and private sector, the official said.

Biden and Vice President Harris met with heads of Google, Microsoft and two other AI companies in May at the White House. The Biden administration has also announced an investment of $140 million to establish seven new AI research institutes.

Updated: 4:33 p.m. ET