Government Agencies Face Scrutiny Over Data Handling and AI Use

This week, several US government agencies have come under fire for their handling of sensitive data and use of artificial intelligence. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has replaced its acting director, Madhu Gottumukkala, after a year of cuts, layoffs, and staff reassignments, and allegations of security lapses and poor leadership.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon is in a public dispute with AI company Anthropic over the use of its AI models in weapons and surveillance. The Pentagon has branded Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, a "liar" with a "God complex" as the deadline looms for the company to comply with the Pentagon's demands or face penalties. Anthropic has said it cannot accept the Pentagon's "best and final" offer, and employees at competing AI labs have signed open letters supporting the company's position.

In another development, a federal judge has ruled that the IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential taxpayer information to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) approximately 42,695 times. The judge found that the IRS had erroneously shared taxpayer information with the Department of Homeland Security as part of an agreement to share information on immigrants for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the US.

The IRS's actions have been widely criticized, and the case has raised concerns about the government's handling of sensitive data. The IRS has not commented on the ruling, but the agency's chief risk and control officer has acknowledged that the IRS provided ICE with information on 47,000 of the 1.28 million people that ICE requested.

In a separate development, Novartis has settled a lawsuit with the estate of Henrietta Lacks, who died of cervical cancer in 1951 and whose cells were taken without her knowledge and used to enable major medical advancements. The settlement ends litigation between Novartis and the Lacks estate, which accused the pharmaceutical giant of unjustly profiting from Lacks' cells.

The settlement is the second in a series of lawsuits filed by the Lacks estate against biomedical companies that have used Lacks' cells without permission. The case has raised questions about the ethics of using human tissue for medical research and the need for greater transparency and accountability in the industry.

Finally, a new report has highlighted the growing problem of burnout among working parents, particularly in the context of the "second shift" of childcare and household responsibilities. The report notes that the second shift is no longer just a women's issue, but a problem that affects both parents and can have serious consequences for mental and physical health.

As these stories demonstrate, government agencies and private companies are facing increasing scrutiny over their handling of sensitive data and use of artificial intelligence. The need for greater transparency, accountability, and ethics in these areas is becoming increasingly clear, and it remains to be seen how these issues will be addressed in the coming months and years.

Sources:

• "CISA replaces acting director after a bumbling year on the job"
• "The Pentagon brands Anthropic's CEO a 'liar' with a 'God-complex' as deadline looms over AI use in weapons and surveillance"
• "The IRS turned over confidential taxpayer info to ICE 'approximately 42,695 times.' That was illegal, judge says"
• "The new second shift is burning out both parents"
• "The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks lawsuits gets a bit shorter with Novartis settlement"