Executive Order 12866 calls on agencies to “select those approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety, and other advantages; distributive impacts; and equity).” Agencies should, when consistent with law, carefully consider the full societal costs, benefits, and distributional effects before considering regulations related to the development and deployment of AI applications.

Agencies should coordinate with each other to share experiences and to ensure consistency and predictability of AI related policies that advance American innovation and growth in AI, while appropriately protecting privacy, civil liberties, and American values and allowing for sector and application specific approaches when appropriate.