Introduction
AI-enabled software innovation is helping businesses in every sector of the economy leverage the value of data to drive digital transformation. From manufacturers that use AI to design more innovative and sustainable products to small businesses that rely on automated translation capabilities to grow their global customer base, AI is creating new opportunities to solve complex challenges. BSA members are at the forefront of the responsible development of AI, providing trusted software solutions that enable their enterprise customers to harness the power of AI to improve their product offerings and enhance their competitiveness.
Tremendous advances in AI are quickly transforming expectations about how the technology may reshape the world. But unlocking the full potential of AI requires a dynamic and flexible policy framework that spurs responsible AI innovation.
BSA’s AI agenda focuses on five key policy pillars.
Priorities for Responsible AI Innovation
Building Confidence and Trust in AI Systems
AI is transforming how we live and work. But the success of AI products and services in the years to come will be based on public trust and confidence in the technologies that are driving today’s digital economy. To earn that trust, it is vital for organizations that develop and use AI to do so responsibly and in a manner that accounts for the unique opportunities and risks the technology poses. As AI plays an increasingly important role in our daily lives, policymakers can enhance public confidence and trust by establishing a legal and regulatory environment that supports responsible innovation.
Sound Data Innovation Policies
The exponential increase in data, combined with increases in remote computing power and development of more sophisticated algorithms, has fueled progress in machine learning and AI. Capitalizing on these developments to facilitate continued advances in AI requires sound data innovation policies.
Cybersecurity and Privacy Protections
The data-intensive nature of AI makes cybersecurity and privacy protections vital. Responsible AI innovation must be built on a solid foundation of data governance that prioritizes the security of user data and aligns with the public’s expectation about how their personal information will be used. Consumers deserve transparency, clarity, and confidence in how their data is used and protected, and consumer expectations should be backstopped by strong legal obligations on companies that collect and/or process sensitive data.
Research and Development
Government R&D creates a virtuous circle that spurs technological innovation that can drive long-term economic growth. US investments in R&D have been critical to the development of fundamental technologies, from the microprocessor to the internet, that have helped launch entire new industries and establish America as the hub for global innovation. Strategic investment in education, research, and technological development will be integral to maintaining US leadership in the development of AI technologies.
Fostering a Dynamic Workforce
From retail to manufacturing, AI is supercharging the pace of digital transformation across industries. By making companies more dynamic and competitive, AI is helping to generate new jobs across industry sectors. While it is vital to ensure that the US has the STEM talent needed to develop and drive these innovations, it is equally important to prepare the broader workforce for a future in which virtually every job will involve an increased interaction with AI and other technologies. Both the government and the private sector have important roles to play in preparing the next generation to utilize AI tools for the jobs of the future and helping the current workforce transition successfully into the new job environment.