CAIDP QUARTERLY

In February 2022 we published the second edition of our report Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values. We expanded our coverage from 30 countries to 50. We also modified our metrics to take account of the new UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of AI. More than 100 members of the CAIDP Research Group made contributions to report.

We published the report in both PDF and EPUB formats, and discussed the findings at several international conferences devoted to AI policy. 

Our AI Policy Clinic grew in 2022. More than 100 people applied for our introductory AI policy course and about 60 received formal certification. Many of our earlier graduates returned as Team Leaders and also to participate in our AI policy advanced course. Our original class took on new responsibilities as Regional Coordinators. We added a new AI policy seminar to explore the foundations of AI policy with detailed reading assignments. And we developed extern relations where students receive academic credit with both Stanford Law and Duke Law, in addition to Georgetown Law, our original partner. Our April 2022 Graduation featured remarks by Thomas Schneider, the newly elected chair of the Committee on AI of the Council of Europe.

The CAIDP Global Academic Network now includes over 30 leading experts in AI policy from almost 20 countries. The members of the GAN help guide the work of CAIDP, providing advice and direction, and also reviewing CAIDP program activities.

One of our big projects this year is the launch of the first AI Policy Clinic. The AI Policy Clinic is a cornerstone for the development of best practices and collaboration with other thinks tanks and university partners. 

Our goal is train the next generation of AI policy experts. Participants acquire the basic skills of AI policy research, analysis, and advocacy in a formal academic setting. The class includes a syllabus, formal assignments, and mechanisms for evaluation. The AI Policy Clinic builds on the earlier teaching experience of the CAIDP staff as well as the pedagogy of law school school clinics. Key texts include the AI Policy Sourcebook (authored by Marc Rotenberg, CAIDP Executive Director) and the CAIDP report Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values.

We use the phrase "AI Policy" purposefully to focus on the actions of governments, the development of law, and the role of advocacy organizations. That is consistent with the mission of the Center for AI and Digital Policy. As a consequence,  we are generally avoiding "AI and Ethics," "AI and Research," "AI and Society," and all the "AI and <fill in key term>." Our interest and expertise is in the law and policy domain.

The AI Policy class includes students from the LLM Technology and Law program of Georgetown Law (USA), and the University of Basil (Switzerland),  affiliated with the Michael Dukakis Institute.

Current projects include: comments to the European Commission on a proposal to ban biometric identification for mass surveillance, comments to the US National Security Commission on AI, "friend of the court" comments to the Court of Justice of the European Union concerning a case about AI used for border control, and weekly review of significant AI policy events worldwide. Once the Spring 2021 AI Policy Clinic is completed, we plan to publish an academic article describing the class, what we attempted to accomplish, and what others may learn from the experience.

CAIDP "booth" at the 2021 conference on Computers, Privacy and Data Protection. The organizers did an amazing job organizing an international conference with more than 1,200 people and 200 speakers from 80 countries, on gather.town.

Marc Rotenberg also spoke at the opening panel session for the OECD conference AI in Work, Innovation, Productivity and Skills. Marc highlighted the CAIDP report Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values, and urged OECD countries to take further steps to implement the OECD AI Principles.

On February 19, the Michael Dukakis Institute organized the first panel on the International Accord on AI with several members of the CAIDP Team, including Governor Dukakis, Douglas Franz, and Merve Hickok, as well as Professor Nazli Choucri, President Vaira Vike-Freiberga (Latvia), Prime Minister Zlatko (Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina), State Minister Yasuhide Nakayama (Japan), and the OECD’s Andrew Wyckoff. 

The panel of world leaders and distinguished thinkers identified challenges, opportunities, and imperatives for the International Accord on AI. At the Michael Dukakis Institute Peace and Security Awards event in December 2020,  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen called for a Transatlantic Accord on AI.

CAIDP has established a methodology to evaluate national AI policies and practices. We have also gathered data to provide formal assessments and to rate and rank countries.

Now we are providing specific advice to countries regarding AI strategy. In late February 2021, we advised the US National Commission on AI regarding the draft final report for the US Congress and the US President.

CAIDP also provided advice to the European Parliament as it undertook a series of hearing on the External Dimensions of AI policy, under the direction of the Special Committee on AI in the Digital Age (AIDA).

In these policy recommendations, the CAIDP draws on the landmark reports Artificial Intelligence and Democratic Values, the CAIDP Updates, the expertise of the CAIDP Team, and recent developments. CAIDP is available to provide expert assessments for AI policies for those countries which we have reviewed.