CONNECTICUT, USA — Connecticut lawmakers are looking to regulate the use of artificial intelligence in state government. They’re calling for more transparency and tests to ensure there isn’t any discrimination at the hands of this technology.
“Machine learning just picks up what we're doing now and it amplifies and perpetuates that, so we don't want to see those biases that we've known about being continued,” said state Sen. James Maroney, (D-Milford).
The main concern is the possible civil rights implications of AI algorithms and trying to prevent any spread of biases by these programs.
Data science experts explain these algorithms can mimic historical patterns of discrimination and with this technology gaining popularity, state lawmakers said now they’re trying to be proactive.
“Their promise is great, but so are the harms and we've seen these harms come up again and again,” said Suresh Venkatasubramanian, data and computer science professor at Brown University. “The time to protect our civil rights in the age of AI is now.”
Tuesday the Connecticut Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights briefed lawmakers on a report recommending transparency in the use of AI algorithms by state government.
“The lack of knowledge around this is really the problem,” David McGuire, chair of the committee said. “We really don't have a clear sense of what algorithms the state is using and for what reasons.”
McGuire said right now it's difficult to tell which state agencies are using this technology and how. He said three state agencies are currently utilizing the algorithms and the state legislature is now pushing for a bill to require state offices to report what programs are in use.
“We fully support transparency,” continued state Rep. David Rutigliano, (R-Trumbull). “We don't want to see anybody discriminated against and we also think that the citizens' data should be protected in the same way with the government, as it is with private citizens.”
To address civil rights concerns, the legislation would also implement routine tests and assessments of these AI programs to prevent discrimination.
“As we're seeing AI and the changes come so quickly now, it's important that we get some guardrails in the ground because if we don't do something now it'll get out and then it'll be harder to regulate it,” Maroney added.
This bill has bipartisan support and was advanced by the General Law Committee last month.
Maroney said now they’re debating the final language of the bill and trying to reduce costs–the Office of Fiscal Analysis estimates this proposal will cost more than $3.6 million over the next two years.
Emma Wulfhorst is a political reporter for FOX61 News. She can be reached at ewulfhorst@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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