Most agency AI inventories GAO examined had incomplete or inaccurate information and two included AI uses that were later determined by the agencies to not be AI. Image: Deemerwha studio/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffFederal agencies are preparing for sharp growth in their use of artificial intelligence, GAO has said in an audit that found some 228 applications in use, more than 500 more in the planning stages and about another 500 in the research or exploratory stage.
The numbers likely are higher given that the data are through fiscal 2022 and don’t take into account developments since then in the fast-growing field. Agency reported uses included analyzing data from cameras and radar to identify border activities, analyzing photographs from drones, looking for information security threats and reviewing large datasets, it said.
By far the agency with the largest number of “use cases”—which includes all stages—was NASA with 390, followed by Commerce with 285 and Energy with 117.
“AI has the potential to rapidly change the world and holds substantial promise for improving government operations. However, AI poses risks that can negatively impact individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and society . . . 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 report said.
It said that agencies “have taken initial steps to comply with AI requirements in executive orders and federal law” such as developing a plan for how the agency intends to conduct annual inventory updates; and describing and planning for regulatory authorities on AI. However, most agency AI inventories it examined had incomplete or inaccurate information and two included AI uses that were later determined by the agencies to not be AI.
The GAO made some three dozen recommendations, some specific to certain agencies and others government-wide, focusing on the accuracy of inventories and updating them. All but one agency either fully or partially agreed with the former while OMB agreed with one recommendation pertinent to it but disagreed with another, saying that recent guidance had addressed the issue.
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