The Office of Special Counsel has introduced a new policy to guide the management of artificial intelligence within the agency.
To support the policy, OSC compiled an inventory of existing and upcoming AI use cases and instituted a review process for the safe adoption of new covered AI tools, the agency said Wednesday.
According to Special Counsel Hampton Dellinger, OSC will protect fairness, transparency and accountability across the federal workforce.
“OSC will lead by example in the smart and responsible use of artificial intelligence in government,” he said.
The policy includes the creation of a chief AI officer position to supervise agency practices regarding AI capabilities. OSC also formed a task force to identify unlawful AI use and take corrective actions.
The OSC policy is built on the concept of transparency. To foster trust in government, the policy dictates standards for keeping inventories of AI use cases available for review by oversight entities. OSC also launched a website containing relevant information on the agency’s AI policy that is available to the public and U.S.-based watchdogs.
The policy acknowledges that AI will impact government programs and contributes to OSC’s efforts to carry out mission activities as technology advances. It also enables the office to leverage the technology to expand its capacity, accelerate its research efforts and become more efficient.
“Where AI has the potential to affect basic rights and safety, we will proceed responsibly and transparently,” Dellinger stressed.