Future of Privacy Forum Awarded National Science Foundation and Department of Energy Grants to Advance White House Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence

The Future of Privacy Forum (FPF) has been awarded grants by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DOE) to support FPF’s establishment of a Research Coordination Network (RCN) for Privacy-Preserving Data and Analytics. FPF’s work will support the development and deployment of Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) for socially beneficial data sharing and analytics. Most notably, the RCN will bring together a multi-stakeholder community of academic researchers, industry practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders to advance the trustworthy adoption of PETs in the context of AI and other key technologies as directed in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“The Biden Administration’s Executive Order rightly puts significant emphasis on the incorporation of equity principles in AI-enabled technologies,” said John Verdi, FPF’s Senior Vice President for Policy, who will serve as the RCN’s principal investigator. “Since its founding, FPF’s work has been driven by a belief in the fair and ethical use of technology to improve people’s lives. We are convening a multidisciplinary, cross-sector, and international group of experts to better understand the risks of data sharing and analytics and how PETs can and cannot mitigate those risks, with particular attention to the implications for marginalized and vulnerable groups.”

The NSF-DOE grants will enable FPF to establish a robust expert network with members from academia, industry, government, and civil society to discuss and develop best practices for advancing PETs. Its goals are to facilitate ethical data use, stimulate responsible scientific research and innovation, and enable individuals and society to benefit equitably from data sharing and analytics.

The RCN is in direct response to the goals of the National Strategy to Advance Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing and Analytics. It’s intended to advance the National Strategy and EO on AI through two interrelated networks:

• An interdisciplinary and cross-sector Expert Group on Privacy Enhancing Technologies for Research and Analysis focused on advancing PETs to support responsible scientific research and innovation in ways that protect privacy, civil rights, and civil liberties and promote equity; and
• A Regulator Sub-Group, focused specifically on legal and regulatory mechanisms supporting the development and use of PETs.

“Privacy-enhancing technologies are increasingly important in today’s data-driven landscape. They allow us to safeguard sensitive datasets and information needed to advance a broad research, development, and demonstration portfolio,” said Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, Director of DOE’s Office of Science. “This Research Coordination Network will help us move toward the shared goal of establishing new standards for data safety and security that will allow us to continue to develop the innovations and scientific discoveries we need to achieve our clean energy and industrial goals.” 

The awarded grants build on FPF’s years-long track record of convening private-sector stakeholders and regulators to discuss responsible data sharing and the deployment and regulation of PETs, including its Privacy Research and Data Responsibility RCN and Global PETs Network.

“This crucial investment represents our commitment to advancing the foundations of responsible AI and privacy-enhancing technologies,” said Dilma DaSilva, Acting Assistant Director for NSF’s Computer and Information Science and Engineering Directorate. “This effort supports research and development that enables individuals and society to benefit equitably from the value derived from privacy preserving data sharing and analytics.”

The RCN will inform the public debate on PETs, provide useful information to policymakers, and contribute to the development of systems and products to support the equitable use of AI. For more information about the RCN and how to get involved, please contact [email protected]. To keep updated on similar issues and emerging topics, apply to join the Ethics and Data in Research Working Group.

The Research Coordination Network (RCN) for Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing and Analytics is supported by U.S. National Science Foundation (Award #2413978) and the Department of Energy (Award #DE-SC0024884).