Harris huddles with civil rights leaders on AI

Vice President Harris met with civil rights and consumer protection advocates Wednesday for a discussion on risks of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. 

“This is a very multifaceted issue and topic, and we also know that this is technology that is rapidly developing,” Harris said during remarks before the meeting. 

“We have is a sense of urgency that we get in front of this issue in terms of understanding the implications so that we can work as a community of folks — private sector, public sector, non-profits, government — to do what is in the best interest of the health and safety and well being of the people of our country,” she added. 

The meeting’s attendees included Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) CEO Alexandra Reeve Givens, UnidosUS President and CEO Janet Murguia, AARP CEO Jo Ann Jenkins, and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler. 

The discussion is intended to cover a range of AI impacts, including risks posed to vulnerable Americans — such as seniors targeted by AI-generated scams — and potential discrimination by AI tools used during job hiring processes.

Harris said a “guiding principle” for the administration is to reject the “false choice” that suggests the U.S. can either advance innovation or protect consumers. 

“We can do both,” Harris said.

“Innovation has so much possibility to improve the condition of human life. And to the extent that we can encourage that approach, we should. We should not dampen or in any way slow down innovation that can improve the condition of people's lives. And we must also ensure that in that process we are not trampling on people's rights,” she added. 

Harris’s meeting follows a talk she led in May with President Biden and executives of companies leading in the development of AI. 

It also comes one day after the Senate held its first classified briefing about AI, featuring top intelligence and defense officials. 

Senators left the briefing with increased concerns about the risks of AI, but clear battle lines on a legislative plan to regulate the technology have not yet appeared.