Introduction
Less than a week before the next U.S. presidential inauguration, President Biden signed an executive order. The new law aims to grow A.I. in the United States.
Biden intends the order to “accelerate the speed at which we build the next generation of A.I. infrastructure here in America, in a way that enhances economic competitiveness, national security, A.I. safety, and clean energy.”
Let’s hone in on security and A.I. safety, and how this measure will affect our collective online experience…all over the world!
Expanding Artificial Intelligence in 2025
This executive order directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy to lease federal sites for constructing A.I. data centers. They intend to use clean energy to power faster technological advancement.
Biden’s announcement comes just a month after the DoE reported that U.S. data centers have tripled their electricity use over the past decade. What’s more, they expect America to triple its usage again by 2028. That would mean data centers would take up 12% of their national electricity.
Does this outweigh the need for more advanced A.I.? After all, this order emphasizes using this technology to improve national security (and economic competitiveness). By using clean energy sources, developers can meet the high energy demands of A.I. data centers and align with broader climate goals by minimizing environmental impact. We all benefit from a cleaner atmosphere.
Nonetheless, more data centers means more energy use. More data centers also means more vectors for foreign and internal cybercriminals to target.
What This Has to Do With Cybersecurity
The U.S. also aims to stay ahead in the race for A.I. development by reducing its dependency on foreign technologies. They can subsidize bigger technology companies while also allocating funds to small businesses and startups. All of this investment is meant to build a greater community of innovators who can all contribute to national cyber-safety.
Regardless of whether you live in the U.S., we all benefit from developments in cybersecurity technology. When new inventions hit the market, competitors soon follow.
The U.S. also intends to fast track permits and interconnect A.I. data centers to the electric grid. These gigawatt-scale A.I. and power generation facilities can expedite security experts’ use of artificial intelligence in national cyber-defense strategies, helping keep up with modern digital threats. That technology applies not just to American government agencies, but companies that contract with federal departments. Inventing new cyber-defense technology ultimately breeds similar developments, and that ensures that we are ALL better protected…all around the world!
Worldwide Effects of American Investment in A.I.
Overall, the executive order represents a larger push for advanced A.I. all over the world. By building the necessary infrastructure in a way that supports clean energy and addresses national security concerns, the U.S. contributes to a greater conversation about worldwide A.I. usage and national cybersecurity.
Biden said of the order:
“Cutting-edge A.I. will have profound implications for national security and enormous potential to improve Americans’ lives if harnessed responsibly, from helping cure disease to keeping communities safe by mitigating the effects of climate change.”
Digital technology has very real-world impacts on our day-to-day life, whether it’s our healthcare or the environment. Other countries are also contributing to A.I. development and racing America for greater and smarter innovations.
Security experts predict that A.I. will continue to advance and evolve rapidly this year, continuing its upward momentum. As the world moves forward embracing smart technology, people are strongly considering how it affects the climate and their personal cybersecurity.
Will more A.I. legislation follow? Where will this approach to technological development lead? Only time will tell!
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