"I am directing the creation of our Department’s first Artificial Intelligence Task Force that will drive specific applications of AI to advance our critical homeland security missions," Mayorkas said at the Council of Foreign Relations.
The task force will enhance the integrity of US supply chains and trade, he added.
"We will seek to deploy AI to more ably screen cargo, identify the importation of goods produced with forced labor, and manage risks," the secretary said.
The task force will also support the DHS mission of preventing the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
"We will explore using this technology to better detect fentanyl shipments, identify and interdict the flow of precursor chemicals around the world, and target for disruption key nodes in the criminal networks," Mayorkas said.
The mission also covers countering the "multi-faceted threat" posed by China, he added. That includes learning lessons from major cyber incidents and other issues, Mayorkas explained.