White House says no need to restrict “open-source” artificial intelligence -- at least for now

The White House is coming out in favor of “open-source” artificial intelligence technology, arguing in a report Tuesday that there’s no need right now for restrictions on companies making key components of their powerful AI systems widely available.

“We recognize the importance of open systems,” said Alan Davidson, an assistant secretary of the U.S. Commerce Department, in an interview with The Associated Press.

As part of a sweeping executive order on AI last year, President Joe Biden gave the U.S. Commerce Department until July to talk to experts and come back with recommendations on how to manage the potential benefits and risks of so-called open models.

The report is the U.S. government’s first to delve into a tech industry debate between developers such as ChatGPT-maker OpenAI who advocates closing off their models’ inner workings to guard against misuse, and others, such as Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who has lobbied for a more open approach they say favors innovation.

“A year ago, there was a strong narrative about risk and long-term concerns about AI systems being too powerful,” said Davidson, administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. “We continue to have concerns about AI safety, but this report reflects a more balanced view that shows that there are real benefits in the openness of these technologies.”

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