On July 10, 2019, the White House Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) published a Request for Information (“RFI”) in the Federal Register, requesting comments on how to improve Federal data sets and models for artificial intelligence (“AI”) research and development (“R&D”) and testing.  The RFI is a part of the White House’s AI Initiative, as kicked off by the Executive Order on Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence.

With a focus towards improving access to and the quality of Federal data sets and models, the RFI specifically requests information on what types of Federal data sets and models would be useful to improve AI R&D and testing and what the key gaps in data set and model availability are that currently slow progress in AI R&D and testing.  The OMB also inquires as to what kinds of data sets or models generated by Federal agencies would be well-suited for AI R&D, how such data sets or models could be improved with respect to utility, what data ownership, intellectual property or data sharing considerations should be included in federally-funded agreements that result in the production of data for R&D, and how the Federal Government could reduce barriers to discovery of and access to such data sets and models.

Written responses to the RFI are due in August, 30 days from the publication of the RFI.