How We Are Using AI
On October 30, 2023, President Biden issued the "Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence." The order directs federal agencies to create standards for AI safety, security, and ethical use, focusing on preventing misuse, reducing bias, and protecting privacy. It emphasizes transparency and accountability in AI systems, mandates assessments of AI's impact on civil rights, and promotes workforce development in AI-related fields. Additionally, it calls for the establishment of AI governance. This order is a move toward comprehensive AI regulation in the United States.
Chair Christopher Hanson directed the staff to review how AI could streamline operations, optimize processes, and make well-informed decisions internally at the NRC. On April 25, 2024, the staff responded to Chair Hanson’s request via SECY-24-0035, which outlines the agency's strategy for advancing the use of AI within its operations. It emphasizes leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, particularly through improved data management and search capabilities. Following issuance of the SECY paper, an enterprisewide AI strategy is in development to advance the use of AI within the agency. The NRC is also investing in foundational tools to advance the use of AI internally.
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Inventory of Internal AI Use Cases
Consistent with Executive Order 13960, the NRC annually prepares an inventory of its non-classified, non-sensitive, and non-research use cases of AI. Currently, the NRC does not have any operational use cases that meet the scope of this Executive Order.
In FY 2025, the NRC will re-evaluate to identify, review, and assess any AI deployed and operating in support of the agency mission to ensure consistency with this order.
Path Forward
In the development of SECY-24-0035: Advancing the use of Artificial Intelligence at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the NRC recognized the necessity of establishing a comprehensive, enterprise-focused framework for AI deployment across the agency. To drive this initiative, senior leadership has identified two strategic objectives:
- Ensure a deep understanding of how licensees and regulated entities are leveraging AI and provide actionable recommendations to key NRC offices for further implementation opportunities.
- Build a robust technical foundation and governance structure to responsibly harness AI, enabling the agency to support its mission through internal use cases.
Additionally, there is a need to address cross-cutting areas, including: staying ahead of technological innovations; enhancing communication and collaboration efforts; and strengthening AI expertise through strategic hiring and upskilling of the existing workforce.
Data and AI at the NRC
Managing and using data is a shared responsibility for all NRC staff and is crucial for running various programs effectively. Although data might be created and stored in different parts of the agency, its real value comes from using data analytics, data science, and other methods to gain insights and make better decisions. The NRC believes that "data empowers the enterprise," meaning it will help achieve the agency's goals and support ongoing improvements. This data is essential for powering the AI tools and models that will unlock the full potential of AI to boost productivity and efficiency.
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