A perspective on Administration 

Activities in Artificial Intelligence

Jim Kurose

Assistant Director for Artificial Intelligence

Office of Science and Technology Policy

Meeting of NIST Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology (VCAT)

June 5, 2018 
“Artificial intelligence holds tremendous potential as a tool to empower the 

American worker, drive growth in American industry, and improve the lives of the 

American people. Our free market approach to scientific discovery harnesses the 

combined strengths of government, industry, and academia, and uniquely 

positions us to leverage this technology for the betterment of our great nation.”

- Michael Kratsios, Deputy Assistant to the President for Technology Policy

“We’re on the verge of new technological revolutions that could improve virtually 

every aspect of our lives, create vast new wealth for American workers and families, 

and open up bold, new frontiers in science, medicine, and communication.” 

- President Donald J. Trump

Artificial Intelligence: an Administration Perspective
Artificial Intelligence: an Administration Priority

FY 2019 R&D Budget Priorities memo

“autonomous systems, ... machine learning, and quantum 

computing ..... coordinated interagency initiatives, ... STEM 

education, including computer science education "

National Security Strategy

“prioritize emerging technologies critical to 

economic growth and security, such as data 

science, encryption, autonomous 

technologies,... advanced computing 

technologies, and artificial intelligence. “

National Defense Strategy

“.. invest broadly in military application of 

autonomy, artificial intelligence, and 

machine learning, including rapid 

application of commercial 

breakthroughs.”

“AI holds the potential to transform the lives of Americans.”

FY19 President’s Budget, Analytical Perspectives
Artificial Intelligence for the American People

 Prioritizing funding for AI R&D 

including computing 

infrastructure, machine learning 

and autonomous systems.

 Removing Barriers to AI 

Innovation: removing regulatory barriers to deployment of AI- powered technologies.

 Training the future American 

workforce: Executive action to 

give American workers skills to 

succeed in 21st century 

economy.

 Achieving strategic military 

advantage: recognizing need to lead in AI, with DoD investing accordingly.

 Leveraging AI for government 

services: applying AI to improve the provision of government services. 

 Leading international AI 

negotiations: OSTP led U.S. 

delegations to 2017 & 2018 G7 

Innovation and Technology 

Ministerials, working with our allies to recognize potential benefits of AI, 

promote AI R&D.
2018 White House Summit on AI for American Industry

 May 10, 2018

 100+ participants: senior government 

officials, top AI academics, heads of 

industrial research labs, American 

business leaders 

 two sets of breakout sessions:

• cross-cutting issues: AI R&D, workforce 

development, regulatory barriers to AI 

innovation

• sector-specific applications: food and 

agriculture, energy and manufacturing, 

financial services, healthcare, and 

transportation and logistics
2018 White House Summit on AI for American Industry

Key takeaways:

 Supporting the national AI R&D 

ecosystem, including stronger public- private partnerships to accelerate AI 

R&D

 Developing the American workforce to 

take full advantage of the benefits of 

AI. 

 Removing barriers to AI innovation in 

the United States. 

 Enabling high-impact, sector-specific 

applications of AI
Establishment of a Select Committee on AI

 advise White House on 

interagency AI R&D priorities;

 consider creation of Federal 

partnerships with industry and 

academia;

 establish structures to improve 

government planning and 

coordination of AI R&D; and

 identify opportunities to leverage 

Federal data and computational 

resources to support our national 

AI R&D ecosystem

Membership: the most senior R&D 

officials of the Federal Government, 

including:

 Undersecretary of Commerce for 

Standards and Technology

 Undersecretary of Defense for 

Research and Engineering

 Undersecretary of Energy for Science

 Director, NSF (co-chair)

 Director, DARPA (co-chair)

 Direct IARPA

 Representatives from National Security 

Council, Office of the Federal CIO, 

OMB, Office of Science and Technology 

Policy (co-chair)
G7 Innovation Ministers’ Statement on Artificial Intelligence

“Artificial intelligence (“AI”) represents a set of 

complex and powerful technologies that will touch or 

transform every sector and every industry and will 

help society address some of our most challenging 

problems. 

...Innovations in AI technologies have the potential to 

introduce new sources of economic growth especially 

in countries struggling with an aging population or 

economies highly dependent on traditional levers of 

production, including by helping overcome hurdles to 

full participation in the workforce and in our 

societies.”
G7 Innovation Ministers’ Statement on Artificial Intelligence

 Supporting economic growth from AI innovation is about using 

AI applications to help improve economic performance.

 Increasing trust in and adoption of AI are necessary ingredients 

for economic growth and the fuel for future innovations. 

 Promoting inclusivity in AI development and deployment is 

critical to ensuring broad public support for AI adoption and 

ensuring all members of society can benefit from this technology. 

 G7 members will endeavor to:

 invest in basic and early-stage applied R&D to produce AI innovations, and support entrepreneurship 

in AI and labour force readiness 

 continue to encourage research, including solving societal challenges, advancing economic growth, 

and examining ethical considerations of AI

 support public awareness efforts to communicate actual and potential benefits, and broader 

implications, of AI

 ...