White House Seeks Comments on the Risks of Open-Weight AI Models

The Biden administration is seeking comment on the risks and benefits related to artificial intelligence models with widely available model weights — a key component of AI systems that could have important national security outcomes.

“Open-weight” models allow developers to study and customize existing AI, making it more accessible to a variety of stakeholders. such as smaller companies and researchers.Having access to model weights makes an AI model more customizable, but it can also make it easier to remove safeguards.

The request for comment from the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications Information Administration seeks input on issues including the risks of making model weights publicly available, national security concerns with open models, and the role of the US government in guiding availability of models. The request for comment was tasked in the Biden administration’s 2023 executive order on artificial intelligence.

“Open-weight AI models raise important questions around safety challenges, and opportunities for competition and innovation,” said Alan Davidson, assistant secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA administrator. “These models can help unleash innovation across communities by making powerful tools accessible, but that same accessibility also poses serious risks. Our Request for Comment will help us chart a policy path to promote both safety and innovation in this important technology.”

The White House is also working with foreign counterparts to address guidance for foreign-based open-weight models, a senior administration official told reporters on a call Tuesday.

The comment period will be open for 30 days.