ACUS Announces Two New Roundtables on Artificial Intelligence and Alternative Dispute Resolution

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Harry M. Seidman
202.480.2085
hseidman@acus.gov

ACUS Announces Two New Roundtables on Artificial Intelligence and Alternative Dispute Resolution

Washington, D.C., June 9, 2021 – The Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) is pleased to announce the establishment of two new roundtables: the Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence in Federal Agencies and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Group. 

Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence in Federal Agencies

Agencies are increasingly incorporating AI tools into their administrative processes, including rulemaking, adjudication, and enforcement. AI tools in these fields hold out the promise of lowering costs and improving the quality, consistency, and predictability of agencies’ decisions but raise complicated issues involving law, policy, budgeting, human resources, and technology. 

The Roundtable on Artificial Intelligence in Federal Agencies will help agencies develop and improve protocols and practices for using AI tools in their administrative processes. It will provide a forum for officials representing agencies across the federal government to exchange information and best practices related to uses of AI in rulemaking, adjudication, enforcement, and other administrative processes. A consultative group of leading scholars and other AI experts will assist the Roundtable by sharing academic research and helping to identify subjects for further study.

The Roundtable builds on ACUS initiatives to study current and potential uses of AI in federal administrative processes, including a recent statement by the ACUS Assembly on Agency Use of Artificial Intelligence.

Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Group

ACUS has been at the forefront of studying how agencies can use alternative means to fairly and efficiently resolve administrative disputes. Recent recommendations have provided agencies best practices for using negotiated rulemaking and ombuds programs and for resolving Freedom of Information Act disputes through targeted ADR strategies. A forthcoming ACUS report will examine how federal agencies are using and might better use different types of ADR to resolve agency adjudications related to their statutory authorities. 

The new Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Group will provide a forum for officials representing agencies across the federal government to advise ACUS on potential new initiatives to improve—through potential ACUS-recommended administrative and legislative reforms—the design and administration of ADR programs throughout the federal government. Membership is open to agencies represented in the ACUS Assembly and other federal entities with which ACUS has entered into a liaison relationship.

Visit www.acus.gov/roundtables to learn more these and other ACUS roundtables.

About ACUS

The Administrative Conference of the United States is an independent federal agency dedicated to improving the administrative process through consensus-driven applied research and providing nonpartisan expert advice and recommendations for federal agency procedures. Its membership is composed of senior federal officials, academics, and other experts from the private sector. Except for the Chairman, all Conference Members are unpaid. 

The Conference is committed to promoting effective public participation and efficiency in the rulemaking process by leveraging interactive technologies and encouraging open communication with the public as well as making improvements to the regulatory process by reducing unnecessary litigation, and improving the use of science and the effectiveness of applicable laws. 

Learn more at www.acus.gov. 

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