Historical Context of AI Policy

The National Security Memorandum on Artificial Intelligence is framed within a historical context, drawing parallels to significant documents from the Cold War era. Unlike past policies that focused primarily on nuclear weapons or early space technologies, this memorandum emphasizes the implications of frontier AI systems. The Biden administration regards emerging AI technologies as transformative national security tools comparable to the nuclear and space revolutions. This perspective underscores the urgency of adapting U.S. policy frameworks to address the fast-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence.