Legislators in 31 states introduced at least 191 bills concerning artificial intelligence in 2023, with 14 of the bills becoming laws. As states prepare for the 2024 legislative session, the regulation and implementation of AI in government and public services remains a high priority.
The bipartisan monthly video series “State of Play,” created through a partnership between A Starting Point and NCSL, seeks to demystify state legislatures and public policy. The series kicks off with a focus on AI, exploring the states’ regulatory roles, practical policies legislators can adopt to address AI issues, and the societal and policy hurdles ahead.
In the series’ inaugural episode, Texas Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R) and California Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin (D) tackle some of the pressing questions on the issue. Capriglione, chair of both the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee and the Innovation and Technology Caucus, acknowledges AI’s potential for streamlining and fiscal efficiency. However, he cautions, “We have to be careful with how it’s being used, that it’s being done in a similar way as humans would have done it, and that we measure outcomes.”
Irwin, chair of the Select Committee on Cybersecurity and a member of the Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee, recognizes concerns such as job loss and bias. Yet, she remains optimistic about AI’s capabilities.
“I think it really is limitless what you can use AI for,” she says. “It can make our jobs easier, it can make our bodies healthier, it can make the environments more sustainable, and that’s really the promise there.”
Join the discussion by watching the full video now.