Contractors interested in offering federal agencies artificial intelligence (AI) can now glean insight into how agencies are expected to conduct AI acquisitions. On September 24, 2024, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued Memorandum M-24-18, Advancing the Responsible Acquisition of Artificial Intelligence in Government (the Memorandum), providing guidance and directing agencies “to improve their capacity for the responsible acquisition of AI” systems or services, including subcomponents. The Memorandum builds on the White House’s Executive Order 14110, Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, and OMB Memorandum M-24-10, Advancing Governance, Innovation, and Risk Management for Agency Use of Artificial Intelligence. Taking effect on March 23, 2025, M-24-18 will apply to all solicitations and contract option exercises for AI systems covered under the Memorandum.Continue Reading OMB Issues Guidance to Agencies on Responsible Artificial Intelligence Acquisitions
Machine Learning
Department of Labor Issues New Guidance on the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Employment Decision-Making
On April 29, 2024, the Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) released guidance to federal contractors regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in their employment practices. See https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/ai/ai-eeo-guide. The guidance reminds federal contractors of their existing legal obligations, the potentially harmful effects of AI on employment decisions if used improperly, and best practices. Arriving early, the guidance puts contractors on notice of their responsibilities when using AI in their employment decisions.Continue Reading Department of Labor Issues New Guidance on the Use of Artificial Intelligence and Employment Decision-Making
Executive Order 14410: An Artificial Intelligence Odyssey
What do you think is going to be scarier—artificial intelligence (AI) or the government’s effort to regulate AI? On October 30, 2023, the White House issued Executive Order (E.O.) 14410, Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. As the federal government’s latest foray into harnessing AI, this E.O.—like those before it, generally—recognizes that AI offers extraordinary potential and promise, provided that it is harnessed responsibly to prevent the exacerbation of societal harms. Since E.O. 14410, there has been a flurry of activity in the federal government, including guidance and policies providing an indication of how agencies can/should/will harness AI to support agency objectives. While we are far from a situation similar to Skynet from the Terminator franchise or HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, the government’s accelerated activity to reap AI’s potential benefits far outpaces the provision of actionable guidance so contractors can understand and adapt to what will be required in offering AI products and services to the government. So let’s open the pod bay doors and explore…Continue Reading Executive Order 14410: An Artificial Intelligence Odyssey