Request for Creation of a Technology Analysis Council

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I wrote this sample memo for a job application.

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TO: The Office of the President of the United States
FROM: Deniz Aydemir
DATE: October 6, 2021
RE: Request for Creation of a Technology Analysis Council

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Summary

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Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are accelerating and unpredictable. As the capabilities of AI increase, so do the risks. In line with the recommendation of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI), the Biden Administration should create the Technology Analysis Council (TAC), a new council reporting to the Vice President. This council will unify the U.S. government’s technology strategy, and confront head on our nation’s vulnerability to the risks associated with AI and emerging technologies.

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The State of Emerging Technologies

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AI is the centerpiece of the rapidly growing technology sector and will be used to make great leaps in all scientific fields, including biotechnology, robotics, and physics. We must expect exponential advances in AI and its impact on other emerging technologies, but there is no agency focused on managing the consequences of these advances.

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AI and other emerging technologies not only present future risk, but are also impacting consumers and industries today through autonomous vehicles, manufacturing automation, and AI managed services like Facebook, Google, and others. Research on these present-day impacts is not sufficiently aggregated or understood by any single government entity.

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The U.S. government has no mechanism for managing the impacts of AI. Any intervention would need to be agile enough to keep up with an industry that moves much faster than any we have seen before.^[https://shorensteincenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/New-Digital-Realities_August-2020.pdf]

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Executive Leadership is Needed

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The Biden Administration should create the TAC to direct executive strategy and provide the necessary focus on these issues. The TAC should report to the Vice President, and be structured according to the recommendation of the NSCAI. 1

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Existing technology-related agencies within government are focused on cybersecurity and defense. Technology-related offices within the White House also have narrow domains. ^ 2 3 The TAC would convene these relevant offices and provide a more holistic strategy on the impacts of AI.

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We look to the EPA for concerns related to the environment and to the Federal Reserve to manage money supply and mitigate inflation. The TAC would operate with the authority of the President, and be a similarly trusted source of truth and policy for any high-impact emerging technology.

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Priorities for the Technology Analysis Council

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  1. Compile research and set the national strategy on emerging technologies.
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  1. Evaluate public and national security risks from emerging technologies.
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  1. Recommend relevant policies and government interventions.
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  1. Promote and protect U.S. advantages in AI and innovation.
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  1. Lead a favorable AI order through cooperation with international partners.
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These priorities incorporate the proposal from the NSCAI, and would inform the council’s collaboration with other government agencies and offices within the White House.

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Political Will

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Unlike many policy issues, taking government action against concerns related to technology has bipartisan public approval. In September of 2021, 83% of Democrats and 78% of Republicans agreed that the federal government needs to intervene in the tech industry. 4

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The NSCAI is a bipartisan commission with trusted commissioners from both the public and private sector, and has given its full-throated recommendation for an executive council of this kind.

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Limitations

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The TAC will be most limited by its lack of regulatory power. Eventually, there will be a need for an agency to manage the effects of emerging technologies through intervention.

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Currently, there is no agency within the Department of State that can be a counterpart to this council. That could limit the success of the TAC in international cooperation.

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Alternatives

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If it is not possible to create the council as described here, the following alternatives can be considered, with their shortcomings:

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  1. Create an Assistant to the President for Emerging Technology. This solution alone would not provide the coordination necessary to influence disparate government offices, but it would enable initial research and strategy development.
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  1. Restructure the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). CISA is focused on cyberspace specific issues, but it is possible that it could take a larger role in managing AI risks. This solution would not provide a collaboration across government agencies.
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A Critical Step

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The U.S. government does not have the unified strategy that it needs on AI and emerging technologies. The Technology Analysis Council is a critical step towards protecting our public from these risks and ensuring our nation is equipped to thrive in this rapidly changing technological environment.

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