A Peek into Homeland Security’s Debut AI Roadmap

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced its first ‘Artificial Intelligence Roadmap’. The announcement was made by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas and Chief Information Officer and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer Eric Hysen.

The AI roadmap outlines three lines of effort DHS is using to guide its work:

1. Responsibly leverage AI to advance Homeland Security missions while protecting individuals’ privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties. The department is committed to ensuring that its use of AI fully respects privacy, civil liberties, and civil rights, and is rigorously tested to avoid bias, disparate impact, privacy harms, and other risks.

2. Promote nationwide AI safety and security – While AI can create tremendous efficiencies and benefits for citizens, it can also present new and novel risks. DHS will help govern the safe and responsible development and use of AI to protect U.S. cyber networks and critical infrastructure. 

3. Continue to lead in AI through strong cohesive partnerships – DHS will foster strong relationships with the private sector, academia, state, local, territorial, and tribal governments, international partners, non-government organizations, research institutions, and thought leaders to accelerate the development and deployment of AI solutions tailored to the unique challenges faced by the DHS. The department will continue to share information and engage with communities, advocates, and partners to demonstrate responsible AI use.  

Besides, DHS also announced three pilot projects that will deploy AI in specific mission areas.

1. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) will test AI systems to detect fentanyl and increase the efficiency of investigations related to combating child sexual exploitation. 

2. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will deploy AI to help communities plan for and develop hazard mitigation plans to build resilience and minimize risks.

3. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will use AI to improve immigration officer training.

“The DHS AI roadmap and pilots will guide our efforts this year to strengthen our national security, improve our operations, and provide more efficient services to the American people, while upholding our commitment to protect civil rights, civil liberties, and privacy. What we learn from the pilot projects will be beneficial in shaping how the Department can effectively and responsibly use AI across the homeland security enterprise moving forward,” Mayorkas said.