The Department of Homeland Security (D.H.S.) is making waves as it becomes the first federal agency to fully embrace generative artificial intelligence (A.I.) technology. This move comes after the department has experienced both the benefits and risks of A.I. firsthand.
In a remarkable case, the D.H.S. used an A.I. tool to locate a trafficking victim years later by generating an image of the child as they would appear a decade older. However, the department has also fallen victim to deep fake images created by A.I., leading to misleading investigations.
Despite these challenges, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the importance of being proactive in addressing the potential for both good and harm that A.I. technology presents. The D.H.S. plans to incorporate generative A.I. models across various divisions, partnering with companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Meta to launch pilot programs aimed at combating drug and human trafficking, training immigration officials, and enhancing emergency management efforts nationwide.
This initiative is part of a larger effort to keep pace with the rapid advancements in generative A.I., which can create highly realistic images and videos, as well as mimic human speech. The D.H.S. is responding to President Biden’s executive order mandating the establishment of safety standards for A.I. and its adoption across the federal government.
As part of its plan, the D.H.S. will hire 50 A.I. experts to develop solutions to safeguard critical infrastructure from A.I.-generated attacks and combat the misuse of the technology for nefarious purposes. The agency will invest $5 million in pilot programs utilizing A.I. models like ChatGPT to aid investigations of child abuse materials, human trafficking, and drug crimes.
Additionally, the D.H.S. will leverage chatbots to train immigration officials and assist in disaster relief planning by analyzing data from various communities. The agency aims to collaborate with private sector partners and cloud providers like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to ensure responsible use of generative A.I.
By the end of the year, the D.H.S. plans to report on the outcomes of its pilot programs, demonstrating its commitment to leveraging cutting-edge technology to fulfill its mission of protecting Americans within the country’s borders.
