The National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan: 2019 Update
THE NATIONAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLAN: 2019 UPDATE
The National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan: 2019 Update defines priority areas for federally funded AI research and development in the United States. Building upon the 2016 plan, this update identifies eight strategic priorities to ensure continued American leadership in AI, spanning long-term fundamental research, human-AI collaboration, ethical and legal implications, safety and security, shared datasets, standards and benchmarks, workforce needs, and public-private partnerships. The strategy guides federal agency investments while fostering an ecosystem of collaboration across government, academia, and industry.
Summary and content fields are drawn from the document text and are pending editorial review.
Who issued it
Who it governs
Federal agencies, researchers, and policymakers seeking guidance on national priorities and strategies for artificial intelligence research and development investments.
What the document contains
The document covers eight strategic priorities for federally funded artificial intelligence research and development, addressing foundational science, human-AI interaction, ethical and legal considerations, safety and security, shared training resources, technical standards, workforce education, and public-private partnerships.
The plan does not prescribe binding regulatory frameworks or specific commercial deployment rules, focusing instead strictly on research and development priorities.
- The federal government prioritizes sustained long-term investments in fundamental and use-inspired AI research to maintain national leadership.
- Human-AI collaboration methods must be developed to complement human capabilities and address the future of work.
- AI systems must incorporate ethical, legal, and societal implications, including fairness, transparency, and accountability by design.
- Robust safety and security measures are essential throughout the AI lifecycle to protect against attacks and ensure trustworthy operation.
- Shared public datasets, computational resources, standards, and benchmarks are critical for reproducible AI research and technological evaluation.
- Expanding public-private partnerships across government, academia, and industry is necessary to accelerate technological breakthroughs and workforce development.
· Executive Summary · Introduction to the 2019 National AI R&D Strategic Plan · AI R&D Strategy · Strategy 1: Make Long-Term Investments in AI Research · Strategy 2: Develop Effective Methods for Human-AI Collaboration · Strategy 3: Understand and Address the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of AI · Strategy 4: Ensure the Safety and Security of AI Systems · Strategy 5: Develop Shared Public Datasets and Environments for AI Training and Testing · Strategy 6: Measure and Evaluate AI Technologies through Standards and Benchmarks · Strategy 7: Better Understand the National AI R&D Workforce Needs · Strategy 8: Expand Public–Private Partnerships to Accelerate Advances in AI · Abbreviations
How it scores
Each score is backed by a quote verified against the document text. Editorial review has not yet confirmed them.
Accountability
3/5Clear responsibility for AI outcomes
Improving fairness, transparency, and accountability by design
Table of Contents
screening score · 2026-10-23
Fairness
3/5Non-discrimination and equitable treatment
Improving fairness, transparency, and accountability by design
Table of Contents
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Dignity
1/5Respect for the inherent worth of persons
protect civil liberties, privacy, and American values in their application in order to fully realize the potential of AI technologies for the American people.
Strategy 3: Understand and Address the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of AI
screening score · 2026-10-23
Human Oversight
3/5Humans remain in control of consequential decisions
Strategy 2: Develop Effective Methods for Human-AI Collaboration
Table of Contents
screening score · 2026-10-23
Privacy
3/5Protection of personal data and private life
Privacy concerns must also be taken into account; further information on this issue can be found in the National Privacy Research Strategy.
Strategy 3: Understand and Address the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of AI
screening score · 2026-10-23
Transparency
3/5Openness about how AI systems work and are used
Improving fairness, transparency, and accountability by design
Table of Contents
screening score · 2026-10-23
Enforcement
0/5Consequences and compliance mechanisms with real force
screening score · 2026-10-23
Impact Assessment
3/5Required assessment of an AI system's risks/impacts before or during use
R&D activities addressing the ethical, legal, and societal implications of AI system development and deployment have increased.
Strategy 3: Understand and Address the Ethical, Legal, and Societal Implications of AI
screening score · 2026-10-23