The U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which is widely recognized as the leading federal agency that enforces federal laws against workplace discrimination, has done something that has never been done before: appointing Sivaram Ghorakavi as the agency’s first-ever Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer. This strategic decision shows that the agency aims at moving to a higher level in terms of technology adoption as well as maintaining high levels of ethical standards to ensure the information it produces is credible.
This new position is informed by the President Joe Biden’s Executive Order on “Promoting the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence” signed in October 2023. The order also required that every executive department and agency must appoint an officer who is accountable for ensuring the proper use and deployment of AI in the respective organization.
“The success of this role depends on helping people understand both the benefits and risks of using technology, including AI, to ensure it is used in the right places at the right time and in the right amounts to enhance EEOC’s ability to operate effectively and to enforce key workplace protections,” Ghorakavi stated in a press release.
Furthermore, Ghorakavi will also be practicing his newly assigned duties as the Chief AI Officer, alongside his previous designation as the Deputy Chief Information Officer at the EEOC. This double role will enable him to handle daily IT tasks, lead agencies’ technology initiatives and partnerships and be in charge of the agency’s technological initiatives and relations.
Ghorakavi has amassed considerable experience that will facilitate the execution of his new role within the federal government information technology sector, having worked in the industry for the past 15 years. Before EEOC, he worked as the National Labor Relations Board’s Chief Architect and Chief Data Strategist in the Government and Federal sectors.
In addition, he has over five years of work experience with detailed knowledge of technological portfolio management and IT, while employed as an IT Portfolio Manager at the U. S. Patent and Trademark Office.
In his role as the Chief AI Officer at the EEOC, Ghorakavi would be responsible for guiding the agency in properly integrating and leveraging AI into its operations and initiatives while at the same time properly fulfilling its job as the agency that is charged with the responsibility of enforcing equal employment opportunity laws and regulations. This entails handling of possible bias, confidentiality and protection of the collected data, and openness in the agency’s decision-making.
“The appointment of Sivaram Ghorakavi as our first Chief AI Officer represents a significant milestone in the EEOC’s ongoing efforts to leverage technology responsibly and effectively,” said Charlotte Burrows, Chair of the EEOC. “With his extensive experience and forward-thinking approach, we are confident that Mr. Ghorakavi will play a crucial role in shaping the agency’s AI strategy and ensuring that our use of these technologies aligns with our core values of fairness, equity, and transparency.”
As the EEOC navigates the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence, Ghorakavi’s leadership and expertise will be instrumental in ensuring that the agency remains at the forefront of responsible technological adoption, setting an example for other government agencies and organizations alike.