New DOE Workplace Coordinating AI
Two representatives from DOE’s new Workplace of Essential and Emerging Technologies (CET) participated in the webinar to discuss their office’s role in collaborating with DOE and its national laboratories, which involves identifying potential applications for AI in the energy sector and ensuring these applications are developed securely. Michael Mazur, a policy advisor at CET, mentioned that the office was established to aid in the implementation of the 2023 Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Reliable Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence.
“Alongside promoting the benefits of AI, we’re genuinely focused on managing the risks,” remarked Mazur. “We’re setting up AI testbeds, or locations where we can experiment—whether it’s new hardware, new software, or other innovative concepts. And we’re posing the tough inquiries: When an AI model is accessible, what is it capable of doing? Thus, we’re conducting all these activities in controlled environments so we can quantify these risks and subsequently apply that to inform the future wider regulatory landscape.”
Charles Yang, another policy advisor at CET, provided further details on how the office is evaluating ways AI can support a modern power grid—from grid planning and operations to issues of reliability and resilience. He also highlighted a recent DOE report that discusses how AI can help ensure that clean energy can address the challenge of powering AI itself, a growing concern within the field.
Yang concluded by discussing DOE’s recent announcement regarding Frontiers in AI for Science, Security, and Technology, or FASST. “The aim of FASST is to address many of the challenges we observe in this area,” stated Yang. “Therefore, this involves both advancing scientific discovery and national security, as well as tackling the energy challenge through ongoing innovations and energy efficiency, developing that AI workforce, and ultimately, creating the technical expertise we require for AI governance.”
