The US Department of Justice is increasing their attention on artificial intelligence, stating on Thursday that individuals and companies who intentionally misuse the technology for crimes such as price fixing, fraud, or market manipulation will face steeper penalties.

The Justice Department will consider a company’s handling of AI risks whenever evaluating its compliance program, according to Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. This program entails implementing policies and protocols to identify misconduct and guarantee adherence to legal standards among company executives and staff.

The remarks made by the Deputy Leader of the Justice Department highlight the concerns of law enforcement regarding the potential exploitation of rapidly developing technology by foreign adversaries or corporate criminals, which could harm the United States. These remarks serve as a reminder to business leaders of their legal obligation to mitigate the risks associated with advancements in artificial intelligence.

Monaco publicly shared their strategy changes one day following the announcement by the Justice Department that a former Google employee was charged with stealing AI trade secrets. The engineer was accused of working with two Chinese companies while employed at Google in Mountain View, California.

According to Monaco, the advancement of new technologies brings both benefits and dangers, but Artificial Intelligence (AI) may pose the greatest threat. While it has the potential to enhance our daily lives, its misuse by criminals for illegal purposes, such as corporate crime, is a major concern. This was discussed at an American Bar Association conference for white-collar lawyers in San Francisco.

She stated that while the Justice Department is utilizing AI for its advantages, they are also aware of its potential risks and will be implementing different methods to combat them.

According to the speaker, federal prosecutors have a history of imposing harsher sentences on offenders who are deemed to pose a significant threat to the well-being of victims and society. This principle should also be applied to AI technology.

“Where AI is deliberately misused to make a white-collar crime significantly more serious,” Monaco said, “our prosecutors will be seeking stiffer sentences — for individuals and corporate defendants alike.”

Furthermore, she emphasized the importance of compliance officers paying attention. In every instance of corporate resolutions, our prosecutors evaluate the effectiveness of a company’s compliance program in addressing its biggest risks. Additionally, for an increasing number of companies, this now includes the risk of utilizing AI inappropriately.

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Source: wral.com