DHS Announces New Artificial Intelligence Task Force

DHS Announces New Artificial Intelligence Task Force

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas recently announced two new initiatives to combat evolving threats during his first address on the State of the Homeland Security. Focused on two trends that will shape what President Biden has called a “decisive decade” for the world” - the revolution created by generative artificial intelligence (AI) and the multi-faceted threat posed by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) - the Secretary unveiled the Department’s first-ever AI Task Force and a Department-wide 90-day sprint to counter PRC threats.

The address, delivered at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, DC, also highlighted the mission areas detailed in the Quadrennial Homeland Security Review delivered to Congress yesterday, which include combatting a range of evolving threats like cybersecurity, targeted violence, and crimes of exploitation. The Secretary’s remarks offered an insightful look at how the homeland security environment has changed since the Department was founded 20 years ago, and the modern approach driving it into its third decade.

“The profound evolution in the homeland security threat environment, changing at a pace faster than ever before, has required our Department of Homeland Security to evolve along with it,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “We must never allow ourselves to be susceptible to ‘failures of imagination,’ which, as the 9/11 Commission concluded nearly 20 years ago, held us back from connecting the dots and preparing for the destruction that was being planned on that tragic day. We must instead look to the future and imagine the otherwise unimaginable, to ensure that whatever threats we face, our Department – our country – will be positioned to meet the moment.”

The initiatives announced today draw on the entirety of the capabilities and expertise that the more than 260,000 personnel of DHS bring to bear every day in the protection of our homeland. Secretary Mayorkas also participated in a fireside chat with CBS “Face the Nation” moderator and chief foreign affairs correspondent Margaret Brennan, which included questions from the audience of members of the independent foreign policy think tank.

Artificial Intelligence Task Force.

This is the first time the Department has announced a task force dedicated to AI. The Task Force will drive specific applications of AI to advance critical homeland security missions including:

  • Integrate AI into our efforts to enhance the integrity of our supply chains and the broader trade environment. We will seek to deploy AI to more ably screen cargo, identify the importation of goods produced with forced labor, and manage risk;
  • Leverage AI to counter the flow of fentanyl into the United States. We will explore using this technology to better detect fentanyl shipments, identify and interdict the flow of precursor chemicals around the world, and target for disruption key nodes in the criminal networks;
  • Apply AI to digital forensic tools to help identify, locate, and rescue victims of online child sexual exploitation and abuse, and to identify and apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous crime; and
  • Working with partners in government, industry, and academia, assess the impact of AI on our ability to secure critical infrastructure.

The Task Force shall report to Secretary Mayorkas regularly on its work and AI efforts across the Department. Within 60 days, the group will deliver a concept of operations and milestones for advancing the four priority initiatives outlined above.

The Task Force shall also be responsible for reviewing and where appropriate implementing the Homeland Security Advisory Council’s (HSAC) upcoming findings and recommendations on the intersection of AI and homeland security. .

Department-wide 90-day Sprint to Counter PRC Threats.

The Department-wide 90-day sprint will take immediate action to drive down risk and assess the evolving threat in six key areas:

  • Defending critical infrastructure;
  • Disrupting the global fentanyl supply chain;
  • Preventing the PRC from abusing our lawful travel system to harass dissidents;
  • Protecting against PRC malign economic influence;
  • Advancing safety, security, and economic prosperity in the Arctic and Indo-Pacific; and
  • Sharing information on threats posed by the PRC with our partners across all levels of government and the private sector.

The final report will identify opportunities for enduring enhancements to DHS posture to counter these threats. This may include further opportunities for public-private partnership, best practices that can be applied Department-wide, and opportunities for further enhancements to ensure DHS has the tools and capabilities to counter PRC threats today and well into the future.

Featured

  • Video Surveillance Trends to Watch

    With more organizations adding newer capabilities to their surveillance systems, it’s always important to remember the “basics” of system configuration and deployment, as well as the topline benefits of continually emerging technologies like AI and the cloud. Read Now

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

New Products

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.