The Office of Management and Budget has issued new guidance directing federal agencies to advance the responsible procurement of artificial intelligence systems.
The White House said Thursday the new memo offers recommendations around three strategic goals as agencies acquire AI technologies: managing AI risks and performance, promoting a competitive AI market with innovative acquisition and ensuring collaboration across the federal government.
The document requires the early involvement of agency privacy officials in the AI procurement process to enable them to identify and manage privacy risks, promotes the use of outcomes-based acquisition techniques and instructs agencies to negotiate contractual requirements to ensure vendors provide sufficient information for them to assess vendor claims and manage risks.
The OMB memo directs agencies to integrate acquisition principles to minimize vendor lock-in when developing contractual requirements and consider transparency and interoperability during market research, development of requirements and vendor evaluation processes.
According to the document, agencies should foster collaboration by prioritizing AI investments that best serve their mission and fostering the adoption of cross-functional best practices.