ONE LAST JOB

Biden Reportedly Asked Obama to Help With AI Plan

Aides said it’s the first time Biden has turned to his predecessor on a major policy initiative.

President Joe Biden asked Barack Obama to help shape the White House’s artificial intelligence strategy, according to NBC News. Aides to both Democrats said Obama held video meetings with West Wing staffers at Biden’s request and also helped to lay the groundwork for tech companies to agree to have their AI technologies tested before being released. The aides added that Biden and Obama agreed they have a “shared vision” and that the government should act quickly to mitigate the threats from AI while maximizing its benefits. Their combined effort—which resulted in Biden signing an executive order about AI oversight—was described by aides as the first time Biden has asked Obama to help form a major policy initiative. Biden staffers also said the incumbent president has experimented with ChatGPT and voice-cloning technology. After seeing a deepfake video of himself, he reportedly joked to staff: “When the hell did I say that?”