Georgia lawmakers are recommending that all public agencies, cities, counties and school systems create “comprehensive” policies to ensure the ethical use of artificial intelligence.
The bipartisan Georgia Senate Committee on Artificial Intelligence, chaired by Republican Sen. John Albers, released its final report Tuesday, which included findings and recommended policies and measures to both promote the advancement of the technology and address with potential negative consequences.
The policy guidance comes a month before Georgia’s 2025 legislative session begins on January 13.
“We want to encourage innovation and widespread use of what will literally be the most important thing to happen in our generation, while protecting consumers, businesses and others from what could also be negative effects ” he said. WABE in an interview in August.
“I think we have to figure out how to thread the needle and do it properly, because our goal in government is to protect the people who can serve them. At the same time, we also have some of the technology that will both heal and solve some of our biggest problems and questions of our time,” he added.
Its first and most sweeping policy recommendation proposes that each “state agency, department, team, school system, county, and city” establish a policy that defines AI use goals and ethical use patterns, such as ensuring confidentiality and transparency and avoiding bias. .
The recommendation also proposes that AI policies include “AI governance roles within the organization, including the appointment of an AI ethics board or committee.” and provide employee training programs on the risks and responsible uses of AI. The report also calls for AI policies to include ways to update protocols and instructions to respond to AI violations or malfunctions.
Tuesday’s report includes recommendations for adopting a data privacy law, disclosure requirements for AI use, and an updated law against the use of deepfakes for election interference, which includes “transparency and labeling.” A similar law was not passed in the last legislative session.
The report also supports criminalizing disinformation “with tough penalties” and applying the same standards of legal liability for an AI product as for a physical product.
“Advertising, influencing, intimidating or coercing individuals/entities through fake deep AI has no legitimate purpose and should be identified and prohibited and developers held accountable,” the report said.
During the last legislative session, the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia opposed the state’s bill criminalizing the use of deepfakes for election interference, arguing that the bill’s language did not adequately protect First Amendment rights.
Additionally, the report proposes adopting a statewide definition of AI, monitoring and updating regulations around AI, creating a state AI council , extend the work of the Senate AI study committee into next year, recommend AI tools to public entities, and require data on return on investment. and reports on these tools.
In addition to general statewide recommendations, the study committee’s report also included specific guidance related to health care, public safety, education and workforce training. work, entertainment, agriculture and manufacturing.
Over the past few months, the Senate AI Study Committee has heard testimony from experts in education, entertainment, agriculture, cybersecurity, health care and more. more so over the course of eight meetings.
Overall, industry-specific recommendations support the development and implementation of AI tools, such as working with law enforcement to adopt “appropriate uses of AI to “increase the effectiveness of emergency response and management”, by encouraging entertainment projects using AI and creating grants. for small farms to use AI.
The bipartisan committee includes Albers, Republican state Sen. Max Burns, Democratic Sen. Jason Esteves, Republican Sen. Ed Setzler, Republican Sen. Shawn Still, Georgia Institute of Technology professor Dr. Pascal Van Hentenryck, and managing director of government at Deloitte. and utilities Robyn Crittenden and Frederic Miskawi, who lead AI innovation expert services at technology consultancy CGI.