Woman Who Introduced ChatGPT to President Biden Shapes AI’s Future

Arati Prabhakar: Shaping the Future of Science and Technology in the White House

In a historic moment in March 2023, Arati Prabhakar, the director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), demonstrated the transformative power of AI to President Joe Biden. As the first person of color and woman to hold this cabinet-level position, Prabhakar is tasked with guiding the nation’s science and technology policies to harness the potential benefits of AI while mitigating its risks.

A Journey from Academia to Policy

Prabhakar’s path to the White House was unconventional. Despite her family’s expectations of pursuing a traditional academic career, she ventured into the world of policy after completing her physics degree at Caltech. Her transformative experience at DARPA, where she served as a program manager and later as director, solidified her passion for using science and technology to shape the future.

Balancing Public and Private Investment in R&D

As private tech giants increasingly dominate R&D, Prabhakar emphasizes the importance of public investment in breakthrough technologies. She advocates for initiatives like the National AI Research Resource, which would provide researchers with access to data and computation resources, and the CHIPS Act, which aims to revitalize the US semiconductor industry through strategic partnerships between the government and private sector.

Engaging the President in AI

Prabhakar’s most memorable moment on the job was demonstrating AI’s capabilities to President Biden using ChatGPT. By generating responses to prompts related to a legal case between New Jersey and Delaware, as well as creating a Bruce Springsteen-style song about the case, she helped the president understand the technology’s potential and the urgency to develop policies to harness its benefits.

The main thing that changed in that period was his sense of urgency. The task that he put out for all of us was to make sure that we are moving with speed and purpose to get our arms around this technology.

Addressing Skepticism and Promoting Humility in Science

Prabhakar acknowledges the growing skepticism towards science, particularly in hot-button issues like climate change and vaccines. She emphasizes the importance of humility within the research community, acknowledging that scientific understanding evolves over time and that people’s choices are influenced by various factors beyond hard facts.

The Elusive Chief Technology Officer

Despite the challenges in recruiting a Chief Technology Officer due to financial entanglements, Prabhakar remains committed to finding the right candidate for this crucial role.

Advancing Science and Technology in Government

As the Biden administration enters its final months, Prabhakar is confident that science and technology have found their appropriate influence in government. She points to meaningful advances in climate solutions and the deployment of technologies at a scale that can make a tangible difference.

Under Arati Prabhakar’s leadership, the OSTP is working to shape a future where the transformative power of science and technology is harnessed for the benefit of all Americans, while navigating the complexities of public-private partnerships, skepticism, and the ever-evolving landscape of emerging technologies like AI.