DOJ hires first chief AI officer to examine internal and external uses

US Attorney General Merrick Garland has appointed the first chief AI officer to the Department of Justice, indicating the technology will face new legal scrutiny.

Jonathan Mayer, a well-known computer science and public policy professor at Princeton University, will serve as both the DOJ’s chief AI officer and as its chief science and technology officer.

Mayer will help the DOJ be “prepared for both the challenges and opportunities that new technologies present,” Garland said in a statement.

According to the DOJ, Mayer’s appointment comes in response to President Joe Biden’s recent executive order on AI, which focuses on making AI tools safe and secure for US residents to use, and requires each federal agency to appoint a chief AI officer to hold primary responsibility “for coordinating their agency’s use of AI, promoting AI innovation in their agency, managing risks from their agency’s use of AI, and carrying out the responsibilities.”

While the responsible use of AI has the potential make the world “more prosperous, productive, innovative, and secure,” irresponsible use can lead to fraud, discrimination, bias, and disinformation, the executive order says.

As CAIO, Mayer will also focus on the DOJ’s technology capacity-building efforts, including advice on recruiting technical employees, according to the DOJ.

Mayer will serve in the DOJ’s Office of Legal Policy, which is building a team of technical and policy experts to address important issues such as AI and cybersecurity. The team will work across the DOJ and with other federal partners on technology issues, the DOJ said in a press release.

Mayer will also lead the DOJ’s newly established Emerging Technology Board, which coordinates and governs AI and other emerging technologies across the department.

Two technology analysts applauded the DOJ’s decision to hire Mayer.

Ritu Jyoti, group vice president for AI and automation at IDC, noted that the chief AI officer role is becoming a “new fixture” at organizations looking to find ways to use AI internally, and that Mayer’s experience suits him well for the role.

“The individual best fit for the role would be someone with a strong technical understanding of AI, business acumen, leadership skills, communication skills, and ethical and legal knowledge,” she added. “They should also be adaptable, forward-thinking, and passionate about leveraging AI to drive innovation and efficiency.”

Jyoti expects the DOJ to evaluate AI use from “all the angles,” including responsible use by external organizations, but most AI developers shouldn’t be concerned with more attention from the DOJ.

“Responsible use of AI is paramount for scaling AI, and I would not view this as more scrutiny and companies being nervous, but as a tool to help everyone thrive in the AI era responsibly,” she added.

There’s a critical need in the US government for technology experts who can advise policymakers, added Mike Demler, an independent technology analyst focused on semiconductors and AI.

“Just about all companies are just beginning to learn how to use AI,” he said. “I’d take it as a good thing to have someone in DOJ that actually can understand the technology.”

Organizations looking to abuse AI — such as using it to spread misinformation — should be wary of the new AI expertise at the DOJ, Demler added.

“There are technology- and AI-related issues that impact national security, the upcoming elections, potential interference from our adversaries, etc.,” he said. “Overall, it’s a very smart hire.”

Mayer holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford University and a law degree from Stanford Law School. He has served as the technology advisor to now-Vice President Kamala Harris when she served as a US senator and as chief technologist at the US Federal Communications Commission’s Enforcement Bureau.