society

Five federal agencies have joined forces with the Department of Justice to enforce civil rights against AI-induced prejudice. The point to note is that these federal agencies are in addition to the agencies that have already been working in this regard. The announcement came through a press release on Friday from the Office of Public Affairs of the Department of Justice. The federal agencies vowed to exercise their existing enforcement authorities to deal with situations where artificial intelligence might affect the civil rights of citizens. This is a good news for protecting against any violation of American civil rights.

Agencies to help enforce civil rights

In addition to the agencies already working with the Department of Justice, five new agencies have promised to dedicate their enforcement powers against AI practices affecting citizens. The agencies that were already working with the Department of Justice since April 2023 were the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

But now the pool has expanded with the new federal agencies, which include the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Department of Labor. The Department of Education, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Consumer Protection Branch of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said,

“Federal agencies are sending a clear message: we will use our collective authority and power to protect individual rights in the wake of increased reliance on artificial intelligence in various aspects of American life.” 

He also added,

“As social media platforms, banks, landlords, employers, and other businesses choose to rely on artificial intelligence algorithms and automated systems to conduct business, we stand ready to hold accountable those entities that fail to address the unfair and discriminatory outcomes that may result. We are mounting a whole-of-government approach to enforcing civil rights and related laws when it comes to automated systems, including AI.”

A new public web page from the Justice Department

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division’s Assistant Attorney General, Kristen Clarke, also announced a webpage especially for civil rights and AI-related issues on the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Department site. This step is an effort to bring together all the content related to the Justice Department’s work related to AI and public civil rights.

The press release also mentioned a meeting attended by senior officials of the federal government and directors of civil rights offices to address the risks possible from artificial intelligence. The Justice Department’s Chief AI Officer also discussed the requirements that agencies need to rate and moderate tech risks like AI-induced discrimination in their operations. Strategies were also discussed to improve coordination among the agencies and Justice Department and to also enhance enforcement and external engagement. Public awareness on the issue of AI’s potential misuse, bias, and its effect was also discussed.

Representatives of the federal agencies also provided updates on their agency undertakings and commitments to ensure best practices, guidance initiatives, and other resources as per the President’s Executive Order. It was also announced in the press release that guidance for agencies’ best practices will also be available by the end of this month.

Original press release of Department of Justice.