HTTP Announces Participation in Department of Commerce Consortium Dedicated to AI Safety

Washington, D.C. – Today, HTTP is proud to announce that it joined more than 200 of the nation’s leading artificial intelligence (AI) stakeholders to participate in a Department of Commerce initiative to support the development and deployment of trustworthy and safe AI. Established by the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium (AISIC) will bring together AI creators and users, academics, government and industry researchers, and civil society organizations to meet this mission.

U.S. Latinos embrace technology faster than any other consumer segment. We are online and participate in the digital economy at a rate that is outpacing other groups. HTTP's collective ensures that the Latino perspective has a voice at the table. First formed in 1996 as a program of ASPIRA, to ensure that the voices of U.S. Latinos were fully represented in policy discussions surrounding the Digital Divide, HTTP is now an independent 501c(3) organization engaged in promoting equitable technology policy.  HTTP believes even more strongly today that Latino voices need to be raised and that policy makers must address Latino concerns especially as AI encompasses a vast array of technology policy issues.  

“In assessing the risk and benefits of artificial intelligence or any new generative AI tech and how our community is affected, there are multiple layers to discuss,” said JudeAnne Heath, Executive Director of HTTP. “Not only ensuring that this technology does not exacerbate existing inequalities but also that the Hispanic community can fully and safely partake, build, and enjoy the future of AI.”

“The U.S. government has a significant role to play in setting the standards and developing the tools we need to mitigate the risks and harness the immense potential of artificial intelligence. President Biden directed us to pull every lever to accomplish two key goals: set safety standards and protect our innovation ecosystem. That’s precisely what the U.S. AI Safety Institute Consortium is set up to help us do,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Through President Biden’s landmark executive order, we will ensure America is at the front of the pack – and by working with this group of leaders from industry, civil society, and academia, together we can confront these challenges to develop the measurements and standards we need to maintain America’s competitive edge and develop AI responsibly.”

 The 200 entities participating in the Commerce Department’s NIST AISC represent the nation’s largest companies and its innovative startups; creators of the world’s most advanced AI systems and hardware; key members of civil society and the academic community; and representatives of professions with deep engagement in AI’s use today. The consortium also includes state and local governments, as well as non-profits. The consortium will also work with organizations from like-minded nations that have a key role to play in setting interoperable and effective safety around the world.

The full list of consortium participants is available here.

To learn more about AISIC, visit www.nist.gov/artificial-intelligence/artificial-intelligence-safety-institute.

HTTP’s Digital Connected Forums on AI and Marginalized Communities can be viewed here. 

HTTP’s Digital Inclusion Summit on the Future of AI can be viewed here.