Artificial Intelligence technologies are at the center of an unfolding global technology revolution that could affect the well-being and security of people everywhere. The United States is working to ensure AI technologies are developed responsibly and used as a force for good, helping to make Americans and people around the world safer, more secure and more prosperous.
By working with partners across the globe to build digital solidarity, mitigate risks, and ensure responsible, inclusive, and rights-respecting AI innovation, we can tackle some of the world’s most pressing challenges — like addressing food security, environmental challenges, and global health risks — in new and unparalleled ways.
Artificial Intelligence and Society
Investments in AI have led to transformative advances now impacting our everyday lives, including mapping technologies, voice-assisted smart phones, handwriting recognition for mail delivery, financial trading, smart logistics, spam filtering, language translation, and more. AI advances are also providing great benefits to our social wellbeing in areas such as precision medicine, environmental sustainability, education, and public welfare.
“The term ‘artificial intelligence’ means a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human-defined objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions influencing real or virtual environments.”
National artificial intelligence act of 2020
Artificial Intelligence and Foreign Policy
The Department of State focuses on AI because it is at the center of the global technological revolution; advances in AI technology present both great opportunities and challenges. The United States, along with our partners and allies, can both further our scientific and technological capabilities and promote democracy and human rights by working together to identify and seize the opportunities while meeting the challenges by promoting shared norms and agreements on the responsible use of AI.
Together with our allies and partners, the Department of State promotes an international policy environment and works to build partnerships that further our capabilities in AI technologies, protect our national and economic security, and promote our values. Accordingly, the Department engages in various bilateral and multilateral discussions to support responsible development, deployment, use, and governance of trustworthy AI technologies.
AI Use Case Inventory
The U.S. Department of State is leveraging the transformative power of data-driven technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI), to benefit our country and the world at large. Efforts are underway to accelerate the use of AI capabilities as a tool to inform foreign policy decisions and increase operational efficiency. The Department has multiple needs for AI that range from accessing and analyzing large amounts of text data from Department reporting, to assessing and predicting the impact of our outreach and messaging, to countering disinformation.
The U.S. Department of State’s AI Use Case Inventory highlights the innovative and important work of bureaus and offices across the Department in piloting new use cases and scaling existing capabilities. The list also provides transparency into how the Department is leveraging data and data-fueled technologies as instruments to achieve our diplomatic mission, while ensuring such technologies are only used in line with the intended purpose and with strict oversight in line with all applicable laws and regulations.
For more information, please email the M/SS Center for Analytics at cfa@state.gov.
Enterprise Artificial Intelligence Strategy
The Department of State released its first-ever “Enterprise Artificial Intelligence Strategy FY 2024-2025: Empowering Diplomacy through Responsible AI” (EAIS). Signed by Secretary Blinken, the EAIS establishes a centralized vision for artificial intelligence (AI) innovation, infrastructure, policy, governance, and culture by inaugurating Department-wide guidance for the responsible and ethical design, development, acquisition, and appropriate application of AI.
The EAIS centers on the vision statement, “The Department of State will responsibly and securely harness the full capabilities of trustworthy artificial intelligence to advance United States diplomacy and shape the future of statecraft.” To guide the Department towards its vision, four goals serve as foundational targets that will enhance the Department’s AI capabilities: (1) Leverage Secure AI Infrastructure (2) Foster a Culture that Embraces AI Technology (3) Ensure AI is Applied Responsibly (4) Innovate. Each Goal rests on specific objectives that encompass priorities identified by the Department’s AI leaders. These relevant and achievable efforts will enable measurable advancement over the next two years.
U.S. AI Policy Resources and Links
U.S. Department of State
OMB Memorandum M-24-10
The Department of State Compliance Plan for OMB Memorandum M-24-10 outlines the Department’s strategies and frameworks for complying with the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements under Memorandum M-24-10. It provides a comprehensive outline of the Department’s actions to strengthen AI governance, advance responsible AI innovation, and manage the risks associated with AI use. Prepared by the Department’s Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer, Dr. Matthew Graviss, the document details efforts to ensure compliance with new requirements for safety and rights-impacting AI and foster responsible AI adoption within the Department of State.
U.S. Government
AI @ State Modernizing U.S. Diplomatic Statecraft
Office and Bureau SpotlightLearn more about our AI policy teams
The Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging and Technology (S/TECH) serves as the Department’s focal point for strategic competition and for cooperation with allies and partners on critical and emerging technologies; leads the planning for integrated international technology diplomacy to support national security priorities; and helps coordinates policy to account for new global technology developments including in AI, quantum, and biotechnology.
The Bureau for Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) promotes U.S. national and economic security by leading, coordinating, and elevating foreign policy on cyberspace and digital technologies, including on AI. We enable international policy and regulatory environments that benefit U.S. capabilities in AI; promote safe, responsible, secure and rights-respecting AI; and advance information integrity.
Leaning into InnovationAI Use and Initiatives at the Department of State
Artificial intelligence, especially Generative AI, serves as a transformative tool in our diplomatic arsenal. From citizen services to foreign policy analyses and even negotiation advantages, AI offers the Department an opportunity to enhance our efforts with original insights and beyond-human processing speed. The Department of State is making significant strides to integrate AI into our operations, helping to both enhance our diplomatic capabilities, and inform our efforts to set global standards for its safe, secure and responsible use and development.
Learn more about how bureaus and offices at the Department of State are advancing AI in their work:
The Bureau of Global Public Affairs recently launched Northstar, a powerful new digital and social media analytics tool that leverages AI to search and translate media content, auto-generate summaries, and assess the Department’s social media footprint. Northstar provides Department practitioners with comprehensive access to insights, data, and analytics about the global information environment all in one place.
The Office of the Under Secretary for Management uses AI technologies within the Department of State to advance traditional diplomatic activities, applying machine learning to internal information technology and management consultant functions.
The Bureau of Diplomatic Technology (DT)
The Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS)
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Office of Trade and Policy Negotiations (EB/TPN)
Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science, Office of Science and Technology Cooperation (OES/STC)
Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (E/STAS)
The Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability (ADS)
Political Declaration on Responsible Military Use of Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy
The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN)
The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM)
The Office of the Legal Adviser leads on issues relating to AI in weapon systems (LAWS), in particular at the Group of Governmental Experts on Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems convened under the auspices of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons.
For more information on federal programs and policy on artificial intelligence, visit ai.gov.