Progress in AI Governance: State Lawmakers Making Important Rules

AI, Tech Background
Progress in AI Governance: State Officials Making Important Rules

State Leaders’ Plans to Keep Things Fair

Lawmakers in different parts of the United States are working to make rules for how artificial intelligence (AI) technology can be used. They want to make sure that AI is used fairly and doesn’t hurt people, while also helping with progress in different areas. One example is Connecticut, where they’re going to list all the AI systems the government uses by the end of 2023. They’ll keep checking these systems to make sure they’re not unfairly treating anyone. Connecticut lawmakers also want to create guidelines for AI that other states can use. They’ll focus on things like making sure AI products are safe and checking how AI systems affect things.

By July, 14 states and Puerto Rico had already made decisions or laws about AI. Some states, like Texas and North Dakota, have made groups to study how AI affects the government and rules.

Lawmakers are worried that AI programs aren’t clear enough. One time, researchers at Yale Law School found that AI was used to do things like putting students in schools or deciding bail, and people didn’t know how it was being done. Someone from a group called the American Civil Liberties Union of Idaho talked about how the state used AI for healthcare decisions without telling everyone how.

The European Union is already making rules for AI, but the United States is doing it on a smaller scale because the big government is slow. Some rules only talk about a specific problem, like stopping AI from being used too much in mental health or work decisions. But lawmakers hope that bigger rules from the whole country will come soon.

People want to make rules for AI because they want to make sure it’s used fairly and doesn’t cause problems. Even though there’s a lot more to do, lawmakers are starting to make good rules for how AI should be used.