Artificial intelligence technology is exploding into all aspects of life, and while the technology holds great promise in a number of applications, including medicine and science, it also poses serious risks to business, privacy, and personal data.
The challenges would be less difficult if the federal government were to advance the technology with clear rules, as the European Union has done to promote research and industrial efficiency while protecting safety and personal rights. In the absence of direction from Congress, Texas is wisely among a handful of states moving to set ground rules for the legal and ethical use of artificial intelligence.
In a major show of bipartisanship, the Texas Legislature’s Innovation and Technology Caucus, a group of 60 Democratic and Republican lawmakers from the House and Senate, is working on comprehensive regulations to govern the use of artificial intelligence ahead of the next legislative session. doing. .
The caucus is chaired by state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, the driving force behind Texas’ soon-to-be-enacted Texas Data Privacy and Security Act to regulate the collection, use, processing and distribution of consumer personal data. Treatment can be managed.
Texans cannot accept that artificial intelligence will be protected and used for the public good and not for private nefarious purposes. Even before artificial intelligence leapt into the public debate less than three years ago, the globally connected Internet was used by dark forces on the web to steal personal data, distort political discourse, and sow division and distrust. A path was made. Artificial intelligence adds another layer of concern, namely the way sophisticated algorithms can embed harmful bias and discrimination, track people without their knowledge or consent, or otherwise undermine personal liberties. can pose a threat.
Cox must effectively balance the benefits of artificial intelligence while also providing guardrails to protect cabbies from abuse. Legislation must have a viable enforcement mechanism to discourage and punish abuse so that state lawmakers do not repeat the mistake made when federal lawmakers last revised the telecommunications law in 1996.
At the time, Congress barred companies from liability for content on their platforms to encourage competition and innovation. Congress’ failure to update the law has allowed many social media and Internet sites to become dangerously unaccountable.
Broadly, Texas’ artificial intelligence legislation should override the basic principles established in Texas’ data privacy law, giving consumers more say in how data is used and when companies abuse consumers’ trust. If they do, they resort to it. Companies and state government agencies that use artificial intelligence, connected algorithms and biometric information need to clarify rules and regulations on how the technology informs their decision-making.
Congress has failed to regulate artificial intelligence. Texas shouldn’t be.
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