US Justice Dept names first AI officer as new technology challenges law enforcement

The U.S. Justice Department on Thursday named its first official focused on artificial intelligence as the department grapples with the potentially transformative affects of AI on federal law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Jonathan Mayer, a professor at Princeton University who researches technology and law, will serve as chief science and technology adviser and chief AI officer, the department said. “The Justice Department must keep pace with rapidly evolving scientific and technological developments in order to fulfill our mission to uphold the rule of law, keep our country safe and protect civil rights,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.