Washington AI Network Hosts AI Leaders to Commemorate First Anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI

The Washington AI Network hosted AI leaders to commemorate the first anniversary of the White House’s Voluntary Commitments on AI. Founder Tammy Haddad hosted a fireside chat with David Zapolsky, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and General Counsel at Amazon, who highlighted the opportunities and challenges AI presents and the work that Amazon has provided to businesses and customers for secure AI. He emphasized the power of frameworks connecting industry, government and researchers.

A panel conversation followed with Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), Vice Chair of the AI Caucus, Rebecca Finlay, CEO of the Partnership on AI, and Dr. Seth Center, Acting Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology at the U.S. Department of State. Their discussion underscored the significant progress made since the inception of the Voluntary Commitments on AI and the ongoing efforts to ensure that AI technologies are developed and deployed ethically, transparently, and for the benefit of all.

The speakers emphasized the unusual collaboration of tech companies and the critical importance of these commitments in fostering a landscape where AI advancements align with societal values and public interest. The event served as a platform for reinforcing the shared vision of an ethical and inclusive AI future, highlighting the collaborative efforts needed to navigate the complexities of emerging AI technologies. 

The event was attended by an array of distinguished guests including senior officials from the White House, government officials, top executives from leading tech companies, members of the media and other influential thought leaders within the AI community.

Other notable guests Included: Senior Advisor to the President and White House Director of Public Engagement Steve Benjamin, Deputy Assistant to the President John McCarthy, Chief AI Advisor at the National Institute of Standards and Technology Elham Tabassi, Deputy Press Secretary at the Department of Defense Sabrina Singh, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security Mary Ellen Callahan, Costa Rican Ambassador to the Unites States Catalina Crespo-Sancho, Director of Government Relations and Public Policy at CAIS Varun Krovi, Cyber Security Advisor at the Embassy of France Oceane Thieriot, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Nicoletta Giordani, Advisor for Public Engagement at the White House Sydney Harvey, Special Assistant to the Senior Advisor to the President Daisy Buenrostro, CBS’ Chief Election and Campaign Correspondent Robert Costa, Technology Reporter for CNBC Annie Palmer, the Washington Post’s Tech Policy Reporter Cat Zakrzewski, Politico’s Deputy Tech Editor Daniella Cheslow, Sen. Mitt Romney’s Chief of Staff Liz Johnson, AI Policy Advisor for Rep. Don Beyer Jason Liang, Head of Government Relations at Scale AI Max Fenkell, Founder and President of Seed AI Austin Carson, Eric Schmidt’s Chief of Staff Andrew Moore, Global Policy Director at Credo AI Evi Fuelle, Co-Founder and Chairman at Silverado Policy Accelerator Maureen Hinman, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of Brazil Fernando de Oliveira Sena, and First Secretary of Technology Policy at the British Embassy Jonathan Tan.