Biden's Executive Order on AI Spurs Shift in Immigration, Defense, and Privacy Rules; Tech Experts and Advocacy Groups Express Mixed Reactions

Biden's AI executive order tasks agencies with overhauling immigration pathways, imposing tighter regulations on defense tech and bolstering privacy, but draws concerns over potential surveillance overreach and lack of protections.

President Biden's AI executive order places responsibility on various agencies, with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) taking on a significant role in AI regulation. Its mandate includes developing potential responses to cybersecurity threats and the possible harms of AI such as chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
The DHS has been criticized for its track record on data handling and concerns about increasing surveillance. Civil rights organizations like the ACLU have highlighted the need for stronger protections regarding the use of AI tech by law enforcement and government agencies.
The executive order proposes changes to immigration policies, potentially opening pathways to citizenship for noncitizen AI experts and STEM students. However, experts warn these changes may only be cosmetic if there is no increase in visas available in the legal immigration system.
The order may also bring new changes for private companies involved in government contracts. There may be obligations for businesses pooling Americans' data or developing large-scale AI models to follow new regulations and share their safety test results.
The tech industry, including both tech giants and startups, have expressed both optimism and apprehension following the announcement of the order. Concerns primarily revolve around the risk of regulatory capture, threats to open-source AI, and the potential harm of centralized AI control.