Vice President Kamala Harris called on world leaders to tackle threats that artificial intelligence poses to human rights and democratic values in a speech in London on Wednesday. She also announced new measures the Biden administration would take to manage the risks and regulatory challenges of the emerging technology.
In a speech delivered at the U.S. Embassy in London, Ms. Harris emphasized that discrimination, disinformation and democratic challenges were already affecting vulnerable populations, and she called on leaders to look beyond profits and future fears.
“These threats are often referred to as the existential threats of A.I. because, of course, they could endanger the very existence of humanity,” Ms. Harris said. “These threats, without question, are profound, and they demand global action. But let us be clear: There are additional threats that also demand our action — threats that are currently causing harm and which, to many people, also feel existential.”
Ms. Harris’s speech, during which she fleshed out a sweeping executive order President Biden signed this week, included a distinct emphasis on consumer protections and how A.I. could exacerbate existing inequalities. Research has shown that A.I. programs can produce biased results that discriminate by race, gender or age.
On the same day that 28 countries, including the United States and China, signed a declaration warning of the potential for “catastrophic” damage to humanity from the most…
