In Senate Testimony, CDT CEO Alexandra Givens Calls For Cross-Society Effort in Addressing Risks of AI

(WASHINGTON) — Today, Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) President and CEO Alexandra Givens testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs in a hearing entitled “Artificial Intelligence: Risks and Opportunities.”

Givens’ testimony focuses on how the risks created by the use of artificial intelligence (AI) play out in decisions that affect people’s access to economic opportunities — particularly in employment, as well as housing and lending — and in administration of government services, including fraud detection and public benefits determinations.

“Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to make life-changing decisions about people, making the stakes of designing and implementing AI-based systems incredibly high,” said Givens. “Anyone with a role in that process must closely monitor what outcomes these systems create, act to prevent harms from occurring, and build in accountability measures to ensure that any harms are quickly and thoroughly addressed.”

Givens specifically calls for “a cross-society effort to meaningfully and concretely address risks — protecting consumers and workers, guiding businesses, and shaping innovation to ensure that America’s global AI leadership is grounded in a true commitment to trust, fairness, and democratic values.”

The hearing comes as multiple branches of the U.S. government, other governments around the world, and industry are undertaking high-profile efforts to advance the responsible use and governance of AI. ​​These efforts include the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s AI Risk Management Framework, the White House’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, and efforts on algorithmic fairness being advanced by the U.S. EEOC, CFPB, and other agencies. They also include multiple legislative efforts to regulate AI in the U.S., as well as the European Union’s AI Act. CDT looks forward to the Committee’s work to further these initiatives.

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CDT is a 28-year-old 501(c)3 nonpartisan nonprofit organization that fights to put democracy and human rights at the center of the digital revolution. It works to promote democratic values by shaping technology policy and architecture, with a focus on equity and justice.