The White House is putting pressure on the tech industry over sexually explicit artificial intelligence (AI) images.
President Biden's White House is calling on Thursday to try to get tech companies to willingly work together on the problem of sexually explicit AI deepfakes, according to The Associated Press. Officials want the private sector to control the creation, distribution and monetization of sexually explicit and non-consensual AI deepfakes.
“When generative AI came on the scene, everyone speculated about where the first real damage would come. And I think we have the answer,” said Arati Prabhakar, head of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, according to the AP.
The AP obtained a document ahead of Thursday's publication calling for action on behalf of AI developers, payment processors, search engines and those who control app stores, the outlet said.
The government said the private sector should work more to stop “monetization” of image-based sexual abuse and cut access to sites that advertise explicit images of minors, according to the AP.
Prabhakar told the AP that there has been a “phenomenal acceleration” of non-consensual imagery brought about by AI, which primarily targets women and girls through a means that could dramatically change their lives.
“If you're a teenage girl, if you're a gay child, these are the issues that people are dealing with right now,” Prabhakar said. “We have seen an acceleration thanks to generative AI that moves very quickly. And the fastest thing that can happen is that companies take responsibility.”
Biden said in a post on social platform X on Tuesday that AI companies must “earn our trust” before they can change people's lives.
“Artificial intelligence and the companies that harness its capabilities will change the lives of people around the world – there is no doubt about it,” Biden said in the post. “But first they have to earn our trust.”
“I commit to doing everything in my power to promote and demand safe, secure, reliable, and responsible innovation – including the use of AI-generated audio,” the President continued. “I ask that AI companies join that commitment.”
The Hill has contacted the White House.
The Associated Press contributed.
