“[W]e’re at an inflection point with AI,” Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco said during a recent speech at Oxford University, where she discussed the “promise and peril” of artificial intelligence (AI). See, U.S. Dep’t. of Just., “Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco Delivers Remarks at the University of Oxford on the Promise and Peril of AI” (Feb. 14, 2024) (Monaco Oxford Address). Monaco — second in command at the Department of Justice (DOJ or the Department) — used the speech to preview DOJ’s ambitious plans to combat the misuse of AI, which she called “the ultimate disruptive technology.” Id.
“AI can lower the barriers to entry for criminals,” the Deputy Attorney General continued, and “creat[e] new opportunities” that “supercharg[e] the threat[s]” posed by any number of already serious crimes. Id. That is why, under Monaco’s direction, DOJ is “laser-focused” on addressing the “accelerating risks” AI creates when misused toward criminal ends. Id. For example, Monaco asserted that federal prosecutors will “seek stiffer sentences for offenses made significantly more dangerous by the misuse of AI,” and said that where the Department perceives “gap[s]” in the current state of the law, it will lead the reform efforts to close them. Id. In sum, Monaco advised that the DOJ has placed AI at “the very top” of its “enforcement priority list” and intends to “move quickly,” to address its risks. Id.
