Here at Townhall, we've highlighted how the Biden administration has been essentially a "third term" for former President Barack Obama as the current occupant of the White House seeks to accomplish or reinstate the goals and policies of the 44th president. Now, according to NBC News, it turns out Obama's influence in the Biden administration has been more significant than just providing a template agenda for Biden to follow.
"Former President Barack Obama quietly advised the White House over the past five months on its strategy to address artificial intelligence, engaging behind the scenes with tech companies and holding Zoom meetings with top West Wing aides at President Joe Biden’s request, according to aides to both men," explained the NBC News report.
So, Obama is back to working with aides in the West Wing, liaising with the private sector on behalf of the U.S. government, and guiding policies being enacted by the actual president. All without the accountability of being an elected official. If Biden had Obama spending months working on AI policy, what other policies might Obama have been working on "behind the scenes" over the past few years?
More via NBC News:
The joint effort culminated Monday when Biden signed an executive order establishing some government oversight of AI development. It’s the first time Biden has tapped his former boss to help shape a key policy initiative, aides said, and he did it because Obama shares his views on the issue and brings a certain heft that could help move the process along quickly.
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The current and former presidents discussed the issue on a phone call in June, aides to both of them said. They agreed on the goal of maximizing the technology while limiting the risks, according to Obama and Biden aides.
After that, Biden asked Obama to consult with his team to develop a policy that encourages innovation but also directly addresses the dangers of AI, their aides said. They then continued the discussion during a lunch at the White House, they said.
They agreed that they have a “shared vision,” their aides said, and that the federal government should take swift action.
Over the rest of the summer and into fall, Obama kept in regular touch with Zients, deputy chief of staff Bruce Reed and national security adviser Jake Sullivan to offer input on the executive order, Biden and Obama aides said. They said their two teams were in touch about a dozen times, including as the administration finalized the order ahead of Monday’s announcement.
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Obama was particularly helpful in laying the groundwork for tech companies to voluntarily sign on to have their AI models pressure-tested before they’re released to the public, Biden and Obama aides said. Part of his approach was to urge industry leaders to consider risks beyond national security, including information integrity, bias and discrimination.
“He helped really set the frame of mind that companies can innovate while also being responsible and that companies need to be accountable,” Zients said.
Obama also reached out to advocacy groups that are concerned about AI, as well as leading academics and researchers who know most about the issue, aides said. He used the conversations to inform the guidance he offered the White House, the aides said.
Obama told industry leaders that it was something he has been concerned about since his second term, when he tasked his administration with releasing a report on the future of artificial intelligence. He sees the swift rise and potential dangers of some social media platforms in recent years as a clear warning sign.
“Those people created platforms that helped us connect in new and exciting ways, but they also failed to anticipate the harm their tools could do. By the time it became clear, much of the damage had already been done,” he wrote this week. “We can’t make the same mistake again.”
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