In March, Senator Chris Lee from Hawaii introduced legislation calling on Congress to consider the benefits and risks of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. However, the legislation itself was not written by Senator Lee but by an AI system called ChatGPT. Senator Lee instructed ChatGPT to draft a piece of legislation that would highlight the potential advantages and drawbacks of AI, and within moments, the AI system produced a resolution. Senator Lee adopted the entire resolution without making any changes. The resolution received bipartisan support and was adopted in April.
AI refers to various technologies such as machine learning and automated decision-making. However, there is no consensus on a single definition for AI, which creates challenges for legislators who want to regulate the technology. Many states have already passed laws related to AI, but each state has its own definition of AI in its legislation. For example, Connecticut defines AI as a system that performs tasks without significant human oversight or can learn from experience and improve its performance when exposed to data sets. On the other hand, Louisiana defines AI as a system that combines computer science and robust datasets to enable problem-solving measures directly to consumers.
The lack of a uniform definition of AI makes it difficult for legislators to craft regulations. However, some states are taking steps to study or regulate AI. For instance, Texas and North Dakota have established groups to study AI, while Arizona and Connecticut are dealing with the use of AI systems within state government entities. Despite the challenges, legislators believe it is important to regulate and harness AI rather than shy away from it. Efforts at the federal level and by various organizations have also sought to define AI, but a conclusive definition has not yet been agreed upon.
In terms of regulation, experts argue that rather than focusing on specific AI applications, a core set of rules should apply to any program that uses automated systems. The goal is to ensure that civil society and consumer protections are updated for the algorithmic era. Several states have passed legislation in recent years to address the potential harms and risks associated with AI, while other states are just beginning to delve into the topic.
