Major AI Policy Advancements in the U.S. during the year of 2019

In a series of significant steps, the United States has been actively advancing its research and development in artificial intelligence (AI). Here's a timeline of key events that highlight the nation's commitment to AI:

February 11, 2019: President Trump issued Executive Order 13859, "Maintaining American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence," marking the launch of the American AI Initiative, the official U.S. national AI strategy.
May 22: The United States, along with 41 other countries, signed the OECD Principles on Artificial Intelligence, demonstrating a global commitment to AI ethics and transparency.
June 21: The White House National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) released its 2019 update to "The National Artificial Intelligence Research and Development Strategic Plan."
July 31: The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (NSCAI) released an initial report outlining early activity to survey U.S. leadership in AI.
August 9: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) released a plan calling for deeper, consistent, long-term federal engagement in the development of AI technical standards.
August 27: The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) published a request for comments on patenting AI inventions, seeking public input on the impact of AI on patent-related issues.
September 6: Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced the establishment of the Department of Energy (DOE) Artificial Intelligence and Technology Office (AITO).
September 9: The White House hosted the Summit on Artificial Intelligence in Government, bringing together over 175 leaders and experts for a discussion on AI in the federal government.
September 10: The National Science and Technology Council released a supplemental report to the President's Fiscal Year 2020 Budget for the Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program, which includes an AI component.
September 27: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration released draft guidance for clinical decision support software.
November 20: The NSTC released the "2016-2019 Progress Report: Advancing Artificial Intelligence R&D," documenting federal agencies' recent progress in advancing AI research and development.
November 5: The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence released an interim report updating Congress on its progress since its July report.
December 5: The Department of Veterans Affairs established the National Artificial Intelligence Institute (NAII), leading the department's AI research and development efforts.
April 2: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a proposed regulatory framework for AI-based software as a medical device.
July 10: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a request for information regarding the needs for additional access to, or improvements in the quality of, Federal data and models that would improve the Nation's AI research and development efforts.
2021: The National Artificial Intelligence Institute within the Department of Veterans Affairs was established, with a mission to advance AI research and applications to improve the health and well-being of veterans.

These milestones demonstrate the U.S. government's ongoing efforts to promote AI research and development, set standards, train an AI workforce, and create a pro-innovation international environment, as outlined in the American AI Initiative's five pillars.