Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights

October, 2022

About this Document

The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights: Making Automated Systems Work for the American People was published by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in October 2022. This framework was released one year after OSTP announced the launch of a process to develop “a bill of rights for an AI-powered world.” Its release follows a year of public engagement to inform this initiative. The framework is available online at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/ostp/ai-bill-of-rights

About the Office of Science and Technology Policy

The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) was established by the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 to provide the President and others within the Executive Office of the President with advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of the economy, national security, health, foreign relations, the environment, and the technological recovery and use of resources, among other topics. OSTP leads interagency science and technology policy coordination efforts, assists the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with an annual review and analysis of Federal research and development in budgets, and serves as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government.

Legal Disclaimer

The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights: Making Automated Systems Work for the American People is a white paper published by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. It is intended to support the development of policies and practices that protect civil rights and promote democratic values in the building, deployment, and governance of automated systems.

The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights is non-binding and does not constitute U.S. government policy. It does not supersede, modify, or direct an interpretation of any existing statute, regulation, policy, or international instrument. It does not constitute binding guidance for the public or Federal agencies and therefore does not require compliance with the principles described herein. It also is not determinative of what the U.S. government’s position will be in any international negotiation. Adoption of these principles may not meet the requirements of existing statutes, regulations, policies, or international instruments, or the requirements of the Federal agencies that enforce them. These principles are not intended to, and do not, prohibit or limit any lawful activity of a government agency, including law enforcement, national security, or intelligence activities.

The appropriate application of the principles set forth in this white paper depends significantly on the context in which automated systems are being utilized. In some circumstances, application of these principles in whole or in part may not be appropriate given the intended use of automated systems to achieve government agency missions. Future sector-specific guidance will likely be necessary and important for guiding the use of automated systems in certain settings such as AI systems used as part of school building security or automated health diagnostic systems.

The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights recognizes that law enforcement activities require a balancing of equities, for example, between the protection of sensitive law enforcement information and the principle of notice; as such, notice may not be appropriate, or may need to be adjusted to protect sources, methods, and other law enforcement equities. Even in contexts where these principles may not apply in whole or in part, federal departments and agencies remain subject to judicial, privacy, and civil liberties oversight as well as existing policies and safeguards that govern automated systems, including, for example, Executive Order 13960, Promoting the Use of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence in the Federal Government (December 2020).

This white paper recognizes that national security (which includes certain law enforcement and homeland security activities) and defense activities are of increased sensitivity and interest to our nation’s adversaries and are often subject to special requirements, such as those governing classified information and other protected data. Such activities require alternative, compatible safeguards through existing policies that govern automated systems and AI, such as the Department of Defense (DOD) AI Ethical Principles and Responsible AI Implementation Pathway and the Intelligence Community (IC) AI Ethics Principles and Framework. The implementation of these policies to national security and defense activities can be informed by the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights where feasible.

The Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights is not intended to, and does not, create any legal right, benefit, or defense, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person, nor does it constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity.