The Transportation Security Agency and Customs and Border Protection currently utilize a physical assessment tool in their operations.
Recent updates within the Department of Homeland Security highlight various applications of artificial intelligence systems, including machine learning and visual comparison tools.
The Transportation Security Agency has integrated the Traveler Verification Service, a tool employed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection for identity confirmation using physical assessment technology.
Additionally, Customs and Border Protection utilizes AI for port-of-entry risk assessments, while the Federal Emergency Management Agency employs machine learning and machine vision for geographic damage evaluations post-disaster.
Despite being reported by FedScoop’s web tracker on October 31, these advancements have been public knowledge for some time, raising concerns about the accuracy of public inventories regarding AI applications.
A DHS spokesperson elaborated on the process for assessing the disclosure of sensitive AI use cases, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding national security and law enforcement missions.
Under a previous executive order, federal agencies are mandated to disclose their AI purposes annually, yet inconsistencies persist in terms of timing, format, and content categories, prompting criticism from researchers and advocates.
References to the Traveler Verification Service’s visual assessment technology date back to early 2021 on the TSA website and as recently as 2019 on the CPB website. The Traveler Verification Service was implemented in 2017, as documented by the Government Accountability Office.
During a hearing before the House Oversight Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, DHS officials discussed CBP’s use of AI for threat assessments at ports of entry.
Criticism from the Electronic Privacy Information Center highlighted concerns regarding the hastiness and incompleteness of the disclosures, emphasizing the need for improved monitoring, clarity, and transparency in AI usage.
The absence of a standardized procedure for updating inventories poses challenges, with agencies responsible for maintaining the accuracy of their listings.
In August, DHS made revisions to its AI applications, including CBP’s use of technology for verification and fraud prevention on mobile applications, as well as immigration and customs enforcement’s utilization of facial recognition technology.
DHS plans to provide more detailed information on its work with generative AI and relational AI technologies in the near future, emphasizing transparency and accountability in their AI initiatives.
