US Homeland Security Department reveals new AI guardrails as it deploys technology across agency

The seal of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is seen after a news conference near the International Bridge between Mexico and the U.S., as U.S. authorities accelerate removal of migrants at border with Mexico, in Del Rio, Texas, U.S., September 19, 2021. REUTERS/Marco Bello/File photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Department of Homeland Security on Thursday plans to announce new limits on its use of artificial intelligence even as it highlights the agency's success using the technology to aid in drug busts and catch criminals.

"We must...ensure that our use of AI is responsible and trustworthy, that it is rigorously tested to be effective, that it safeguards privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties while avoiding inappropriate biases, and...that it is transparent and explainable to those whom we serve," DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas writes in an AI policy memo to be released later today.