OMB M-21-06 AI Regulation Guidance — November 17, 2020
OMB finalised AI regulatory principles for U.S. agencies, requiring risk assessments, transparency, and stakeholder engagement Zeph Tech still cites in AI governance work.
OMB Memorandum M-21-06 converted the U.S. AI regulatory principles into binding guidance for federal agencies. Zeph Tech leverages the memo’s risk assessment and transparency requirements when mapping AI governance expectations for public-sector partners.
- 17 Nov 2020 — OMB memorandum issued. Agencies must document regulatory approaches, perform risk-benefit analyses, and promote public participation.
- 17 Nov 2020 — Federal Register notice. The notice confirmed effective dates and clarified that the guidance applies to non-regulatory actions as well.
- 17 Nov 2020 — OMB AI portal update. OMB highlighted implementation resources and interagency coordination forums.
The memo’s principles still underpin Zeph Tech’s AI compliance readiness assessments in the United States.
Follow-up: OMB replaced M-21-06 with Memorandum M-24-10 in March 2024, imposing stricter inventory, risk assessment, and waivers for federal AI systems in response to Executive Order 14110.
Sources
- OMB Memorandum M-21-06: Guidance for Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Applications — Office of Management and Budget; OMB directed federal agencies to follow 10 AI regulatory principles and detailed risk assessment steps before issuing rules.
- Guidance for Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Applications — Federal Register; OMB announced the availability of the memorandum and its effective date in the Federal Register.
- Artificial Intelligence at OMB — Office of Management and Budget; OMB provides implementation resources and interagency coordination updates for the AI regulatory framework.