Mark Jamison Urges U.S. Prioritize Defensive AI Development

Mark Jamison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, argues that the United States should establish the development of defensive artificial intelligence as a national research priority. He contends that slowing down responsible AI developers to mitigate risk is counterproductive because rogue states, terrorist organizations, and criminal enterprises will not follow such restrictions.

Jamison suggests that the most effective protection against autonomous cyberattacks and deceptive agents is the creation of capable, defensive AI systems that can monitor and counter threats at speeds humans cannot match. He asserts that the nation needs AI to protect it from AI.

To achieve this, Jamison recommends that Washington use purchasing and research policies to reward strong safety practices and hold negligent developers accountable for preventable harms. He opposes the use of rigid development rules, which he believes could leave the U.S. technologically inferior to hostile actors.