US proposes reporting requirements for advanced AI, cloud providers

The US Commerce Department has said on Monday it is proposing to require detailed reporting requirements for advanced artificial intelligence developers and cloud computing providers to ensure the technologies are safe and can withstand cyberattacks.

The proposal from the department's Bureau of Industry and Security will set mandatory reporting to the federal government about development activities of "frontier" AI models and computing clusters.

It will also require reporting on cybersecurity measures as well as outcomes from so-called red-teaming efforts like testing for dangerous capabilities including the ability to assist in cyberattacks or lowering barriers to entry for non-experts to develop chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons.

External red-teaming has been used for years in cybersecurity to identify new risks, with the term referring to US Cold War simulations where the enemy was termed the "red team."

Generative AI - which can create text, photos and videos in response to open-ended prompts - has spurred excitement as well as fears it could make some jobs obsolete, upend elections and potentially overpower humans and have catastrophic effects, Reuters reported.

The Commerce Department said the information collected under the proposal "will be vital for ensuring these technologies meet stringent standards for safety and reliability, can withstand cyberattacks, and have limited risk of misuse by foreign adversaries or non-state actors."

"President Joe Biden in October 2023 signed an executive order requiring developers of AI systems that pose risks to US national security, the economy, public health or safety to share the results of safety tests with the US government before they are released to the public.

"The rule will establish reporting requirements for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models and computing clusters."

The regulatory push comes as legislative action in Congress on AI has stalled.

Earlier this year, the BIS conducted a pilot survey of AI developers. The Biden administration has taken a series of steps to prevent China from using US technology for AI, as the burgeoning sector raises security concerns.

Top cloud providers include Amazon.com's AWS, Alphabet's Google Cloud and Microsoft's Azure unit.