  This study examines the extent to which U.S. federal agencies responded to
and implemented the principles outlined in the White House's October 2022
"Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights." The Blueprint provided a framework for
the ethical governance of artificial intelligence systems, organized around
five core principles: safety and effectiveness, protection against algorithmic
discrimination, data privacy, notice and explanation about AI systems, and
human alternatives and fallback.
  Through an analysis of publicly available records across 15 federal
departments, the authors found limited evidence that the Blueprint directly
influenced agency actions after its release. Only five departments explicitly
mentioned the Blueprint, while 12 took steps aligned with one or more of its
principles. However, much of this work appeared to have precedents predating
the Blueprint or motivations disconnected from it, such as compliance with
prior executive orders on trustworthy AI. Departments' activities often
emphasized priorities like safety, accountability and transparency that
overlapped with Blueprint principles, but did not necessarily stem from it.
  The authors conclude that the non-binding Blueprint seems to have had minimal
impact on shaping the U.S. government's approach to ethical AI governance in
its first year. Factors like public concerns after high-profile AI releases and
obligations to follow direct executive orders likely carried more influence
over federal agencies. More rigorous study would be needed to definitively
assess the Blueprint's effects within the federal bureaucracy and broader
society.
