April 25, 2022
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Jon Kleinberg, Tisch University Professor of computer science and information science, has been appointed by the U.S. Department of Commerce to serve on a newly established committee that will advise the U.S. president on issues related to artificial intelligence. 

Kleinberg is one of 27 expert leaders who were nominated by the public to serve on the National AI Advisory Committee, which was launched this year to provide recommendations on topics including U.S. AI competitiveness, the state of science around AI, and AI workforce issues. The expertise of the NAIAC will be critical in helping to ensure the U.S. leads the world in the ethical development and adoption of AI, provides inclusive employment and education opportunities, and protects civil rights and civil liberties, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

"I'm honored to be able to contribute to the committee's work on AI," Kleinberg said, "and to share in the responsibility that comes from engaging with both the technological and societal implications of the field's advances."

NAIAC membership includes leaders from academia, industry, and non-profits, representing entities like Google, Microsoft Research Outreach, and IBM. Kleinberg is one of seven drawn from academia and the sole Cornell faculty member. Terms are for three years, with an option to serve consecutive terms.  

The NAIAC is also directed to establish a subcommittee to consider matters related to the use of AI in law enforcement. The subcommittee will advise the president on topics that include bias, security of data, the adoptability of AI for security or law enforcement, and legal standards for AI’s use, according to the press release.

A leading authority on computer algorithms and networks, Kleinberg tackles issues at the interface of networks and information, with an emphasis on the social and information networks that underpin the web and other online media. His work has been supported by MacArthur, Packard, Simons, Sloan, and Vannevar Bush research fellowships, and grants from Facebook, Google, Yahoo, and the AFOSR, ARO, ONR, and NSF. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.