MITRE Unveils Lab to Evaluate Risks of Federal AI Use

MITRE, a U.S.-based not-for-profit organization, has recently inaugurated a new facility focused on examining potential risks associated with government utilization of artificial intelligence.

Named the AI Assurance and Discovery Lab, this establishment is tailored for evaluating the risk factors inherent in AI-driven systems through simulated scenarios, red-teaming exercises, and "human-in-the-loop experimentation," among other methodologies.

Furthermore, the lab will conduct bias assessments within systems while affording users control over the utilization of their personal information, as outlined in the announcement.

MITRE was joined by Sen. Mark Warner, Rep. Donald Beyer, and Rep. Gerry Connolly for the opening of lab.

“Government use of AI will have consequential impacts on the nation and world, in areas such as efficient transportation, effective healthcare, and strengthened national security. However, in adopting these systems, we also need to mitigate risks,” says Charles Clancy, MITRE Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer.

“Providing an independent assessment of the security, safety, and efficacy of AI systems will play a critical role toward helping government and business integrate new technology in benefits processing, intelligence analysis, autonomous vehicles, and more. This lab will demonstrate a repeatable engineering approach and infrastructure that could serve as a blueprint for a national network of AI assurance facilities,” Clancy adds.

“The opening of MITRE’s AI Assurance and Discovery Lab is an exciting development in the most fertile frontier of technological progress—extracting maximum value from AI while mitigating some of its risks,” says Sen. Mark Warner. “We need to have an all-hands-on-deck approach to studying and unleashing the potential of AI, and I look forward to seeing the discoveries and progress the lab will be able to make in this critical field.”  

Recently, The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released its inaugural government-wide policy aimed at mitigating risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI) while maximizing its benefits.

This initiative fulfills a pivotal aspect of President Biden's significant AI Executive Order. One of the directives instructs all federal agencies to appoint a Chief AI Officer. Furthermore, federal agencies will be mandated to ensure that AI tools they utilize do not jeopardize the rights and safety of Americans.