Homeland Security Recruits Leading AI Experts to Strengthen Critical Infrastructure Protection

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is taking significant steps to address the safety and security implications of artificial intelligence (AI) on critical infrastructure. To this end, DHS has established the AI Safety and Security Board, which brings together influential leaders from the tech industry, government, and academia. This diverse group will offer insights and recommendations to DHS officials regarding the potential risks associated with AI technologies.

Notable appointees include Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI; Bruce Harrell, Mayor of Seattle; and Fei-Fei Li, co-director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute and former chief scientist for AI and machine learning at Google Cloud. The board also boasts participation from leaders of major tech companies, including Sundar Pichai (CEO of Alphabet), Satya Nadella (CEO of Microsoft), Lisa Su (CEO of AMD), and Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM).

Initiated by Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas under President Biden's directive, the formation of this board reflects a recognition of AI as a transformative technology that offers unprecedented opportunities while also posing significant risks. Mayorkas stated, “AI is a transformative technology that can advance our national interests in unprecedented ways. At the same time, it presents real risks—risks that we can mitigate by adopting best practices and implementing studied and concrete actions. I am grateful that such accomplished leaders are dedicating their time and expertise to ensuring our nation’s critical infrastructure effectively guards against these risks while harnessing the enormous potential AI offers.”

The board is set to hold its inaugural meeting in early May and will convene quarterly afterward. During its first session, the group aims to develop guidelines for the safe adoption of AI and establish a forum for AI leaders to discuss risks in the context of critical infrastructure.

Lisa Su emphasized the importance of collaboration, stating, “The widespread use of AI has the potential to improve every aspect of our daily lives. It is crucial that we work across public and private sectors to adopt a collaborative and responsible approach to ensure we harness the incredible power of AI for good.” Similarly, Fei-Fei Li commented, “I’m honored to join this group of interdisciplinary leaders to steward this world-changing technology responsibly and in a human-centered way. Ultimately, AI is a tool, a potent tool, and it must be developed with a keen awareness of its impact on individuals and society.”

Despite these initiatives, the board's appointments have faced criticism. Some express concern about the preference for closed-source AI systems over open-source alternatives. For example, Clement Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, voiced apprehension about the concentration of power within the AI landscape, suggesting the board may not effectively address this issue. Additionally, Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas suggested that figures like Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg or chief scientist Yann LeCun would have been more appropriate choices for the board. François Fleuret, a professor of computer science at the University of Geneva, also remarked on the absence of LeCun, noting his significant contributions to democratizing access to large language models: “Without the Llama models, we'd be on track for having ‘AIs’ in our lives entirely shaped by corporations.”

In a response to the criticism, LeCun himself acknowledged the situation succinctly, stating, “We were snubbed.”

The establishment of the AI Safety and Security Board marks a crucial step in addressing the complex challenges and opportunities that AI presents for national infrastructure and safety. As the group begins its work, its ability to foster collaboration and effectively navigate the landscape of AI risks will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of this transformative technology.