Timothy Whitehouse, executive director of the nonprofit Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said he was encouraged the inspector general was launching an audit.
“It’s a good first step,” he says, but bigger issues remain, including what Mr. Whitehouse says is a focus on speed over quality at an agency that has rapidly moved to expand AI, dramatically reduced staff, and shuttered the Office of Research and Development, where scientists studied the safety of toxic chemicals.
Mr. Whitehouse says he is not against AI, but adds, “We need to make sure it is being used for good, with qualified scientists making final decisions that protect the environment and benefit public health.”