White House deputy says Joe Biden became more concerned about AI after watching Mission: Impossible

President Joe Biden on Monday signed an executive order establishing new standards and security measures around artificial intelligence. White House deputy chief of staff Bruce Reid told The Associated Press that artificial intelligence is an issue of great importance to the president, who was moved and concerned after seeing fake AI images of himself and learning about the terrifying voice-simulation technology. According to Reed, Biden’s concern about AI also grew after watching the first episode of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning at Camp David.

“If you weren’t worried about what might happen to artificial intelligence before that movie, you’d have a lot to worry about,” said Reed, who watched the film with Biden.

In Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt battles an inhuman villain, a sentient and dangerous artificial intelligence known as the Entity. In the opening sequence of the film, the Entity hijacks and sinks a submarine, killing its entire crew.

According to the Associated Press, Biden was deeply curious about the technology during the months of meetings that led to the drafting of the order. He met with scientists who explained the potential upside of artificial intelligence as well as its dangers.

According to the Associated Press, actions related to the executive order will be carried out in the next 90 to 365 days, and safety and security issues should be considered first. The executive order, which the White House says directs the most extensive action yet taken to protect Americans from potential risks from artificial intelligence systems, includes developing standards, tools and tests to ensure safety in artificial intelligence systems. and requires artificial intelligence developers to share safety test results and other critical information with the US government. The directive also provides guidance on content authentication and watermarking to clearly label AI-generated content to protect individuals from AI-based fraud.

President Biden will have to wait until the summer of 2025 to see the first episode of Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning, as the film has been pushed back a year from its original release date of June 28, 2024. The Christopher McQuarrie-directed stunt-filled action sequel will also drop the second installment from its title, opting for a new yet-to-be-announced title.