Ep. 154 Responsible AI for Federal Programs

We are at the point where Artificial Intelligence is splitting into several capabilities. These include Generative, Natural Language Processing, Computer Vision, Predictive, and Deep Learning to name a few.

Today, we sit down with Melisa Bardhi from Excella and look at one aspect of AI, Generative AI, and examine how it can be used responsibly for federal applications.

In a short 25 minutes, she covers

·       Definitions

·       Beginnings

·       Security

·       Existing models

·       AI training

Melisa begins by admitting that one must be cautious about data that is used to feed AI.  All humans have biases, whether intentional or not. One document she would like to share with the audience is Excella’s Generative AI Use Policy. 

Rather than starting with a major tech overhaul, it is suggested that an agency looks at a pilot with well-defined outcomes.  Generally, Generative AI should be deployed in a controlled environment.

Security is foremost in the minds of all federal employees. The challenge is that many of the recommendations from laudable organizations like NIST can be hard to understand.  As a result, Excella has unpacked many security concepts in several blogs. A reference is Decoding Artificial Intelligence: A Simplified Guide to Key Terminology.

  https://www.excella.com/insights/decoding-artificial-intelligence-a-simplified-guide-to-key-terminology

When you read about ChatGPT producing summaries, this is an example of a model that is used in a wide-open environment.  Melisa suggests agencies test out pre-trained models through cloud platforms like Azure ML, AWS Sagemaker, and GCP AI Platform.

Fortunately, we are bombarded with places to learn more about Generative AI.  During the interview, Melisa mentioned agencies should consider partnering with research institutions and groups like ACT-IAC. For example, you can start your Generative AI journey with an article titled “AI Understanding in the Federal Government.” 

https://www.actiac.org/documents/ai-understanding-us-federal-government

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