White House Reveals Big AI Plans With Vow To Remove Regulatory Barriers

The White House has announced plans to develop a new committee on artificial intelligence, a move underscoring its focus on AI technology and the ways it can improve lives. The Trump administration has vowed to remove "regulatory barriers" that could get in the way of innovation, as well as prioritize funding for the initiative.

The Trump administration revealed the plans today alongside a long list of bragging that includes October's Presidential Memorandum and the FDA's recent approval for AI-based diabetic retinopathy diagnostic tech. The administration will be prioritizing funding for "fundamental AI research," as well as computing infrastructure, autonomous systems, and machine learning.

The White House goes on to claim that the fiscal year 2019 budget request is the first ever to include AI, autonomous tech, and unmanned systems as Research and Development priorities. The entire budget proposal is available here.

In a statement, Trump said: "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."

Since 2015, the US government has increased its investment in unclassified AI Research and Development by 40-percent, that not including what it calls a "substantial" amount dedicated to classified work. Federal agencies have been directed to focus on machine learning, autonomous systems, and other related emerging tech.

SOURCE: White House