NASA has three slightly differing definitions of what classifies as artificial intelligence technology, with the lack of singular designation making it more challenging for the agency to meet federal AI monitoring and cybersecurity requirements, a government watchdog reported last week.
NASA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) found agency personnel had their own individual understanding of what the term AI means instead of a formal definition provided by the agency and this impairs NASA’s ability to accurately classify and track AI tools and expenditures as well as increases the risk of cyber threats.
NASA has a wide variety of agency programs that use AI technology such as storm prediction tools, the Mars Perseverance rover, and elements of the Artemis space missions which make AI definitions and management to prevent cybersecurity risks and threats critical.
‘NASA has not adopted a standard definition of AI and instead has three separate definitions,” NASA’s OIG found in a May 3rd report titled Management of Its Artificial Intelligence Capabilities. “While all three definitions are similar, subtleties and nuances in each can alter whether a…
