The Department of Energy announced final week it has opened an Office of Critical and Emerging Technology, as required by President Joe Biden’s latest executive order on AI. The workplace will coordinate analysis in areas resembling AI, biotechnology, quantum computing, and semiconductors throughout DOE’s nationwide labs, develop partnerships with academia and trade, and inform coverage making.

Helena Fu will lead the workplace whereas concurrently serving as DOE’s chief synthetic intelligence officer, a place additionally mandated and outlined by Biden’s AI order. Fu testified the next day at a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing specializing in AI. She emphasised that, whereas the workplace she leads is new, DOE has been engaged on AI for many years. She stated that the nationwide labs have already begun discovering methods to make use of AI to enhance wildfire mapping and electrical energy transmission however are additionally participating in pink teaming to establish the dangers that new AI instruments may current.

Fu argued all through the listening to that U.S. energy in AI hinges on its home capabilities however that, whereas some international actors are definitely trying to make use of AI for in poor health, the nation can not fully sever its analysis from the remainder of the world. “Our ability as an S&T superpower really comes from having the best-in-class facilities and the talent, but also our ability to work with others around the world so that we avoid strategic surprise,” she stated.