DOJ Appoints First Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer to Guide Ethical and Safe Use of AI

QUICK ZAPS

The Department of Justice announced yesterday that Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed Jonathan Mayer to serve as the agency's first Chief Science and Technology Advisor and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer.

In these new roles, Mayer will advise DOJ leadership on complex issues at the intersection of technology and law, such as cybersecurity, AI, and other emerging tech issues. He will help the Department recruit technical talent to ensure it has the expertise needed to address challenges in these rapidly changing areas. 

Mayer will work out of the Office of Legal Policy, where he will help develop a team of tech and policy experts to advise leadership and collaborate across DOJ components on cutting-edge tech policy matters. As Chief AI Officer, he will also coordinate intra-agency and cross-government efforts on AI issues in accordance with the President's executive order on trustworthy and responsible development of the technology.

Mayer will lead DOJ's new Emerging Technology Board, which will govern the use of AI and other new technologies throughout the sprawling justice system. He brings experience to the role as a professor focusing on tech's impact on criminal justice, national security, and consumer protection. 

The appointment aims to help DOJ stay on top of innovations like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence, which Attorney General Garland said are crucial for the Department to fulfill its mission of upholding the rule of law and keeping Americans safe in the digital age.