The US Department of Justice has named computer scientist and lawyer Jonathan Mayer the first chief officer of its new AI division as the US government tries to catch up to the emerging technology.
In a press statement on Thursday, the Justice Department tasked Mayer as the department's chief advisor on "complex issues requiring technical expertise."
This includes cybersecurity, AI, and other emerging technologies towards "criminal procedure, national security, and consumer protection."
Mayer will also handle the newly established Emerging Technology Board to coordinate and govern AI applications across the department.
It is worth noting that the Justice Department has already used AI to track sources of illegal drugs in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which is also adding AI into its arsenal.
The naming of Mayer marks the department's first concrete step in addressing growing concerns for AI technology while the US government still finalizing a standardized regulation on the technology.
Who is Jonathan Mayer, Justice Department's First AI Officer?
A Stanford University graduate with a Ph.D. in computer science, Mayer is currently an assistant professor at Princeton University where he works as part of the Center for Information Technology Policy.
He also received his law degree at Stanford, as well. On his website, Mayer offers "informal advice" to graduate students regarding technology, law, and public policies.
Mayer is no stranger to technologies' application to politics and government, serving under then-Senator Kamala Harris's technology advisor in 2017 and 2018.
He was also the chief technologist at the Federal Communications Commission Enforcement Bureau between 2015 and 2017.
Many of Mayer's published studies revolve around national security, criminal procedure, and consumer privacy, the same qualifications the Justice Department said it is seeking.
US Departments Debut AI Technology into Operations
Following US President Joe Biden's executive order last October, state departments have been ramping up the application of AI technology to their operations amid growing demands.
Recent uses of AI have been mainly involved in cybersecurity and defenses as cyberattacks rise thanks to AI use.
As of writing, the FBI, the Department of Home Security, and the Defense Department announced to start exploring AI more for intelligence and administrative tasks.
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