As Public Eye recently reported, a number of governors have shared plans for ensuring the safe and responsible use of artificial intelligence in their respective states.
Add Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee to that list.
On Feb. 29, McKee signed an executive order that mandated the creation of a task force charged with studying how AI can “improve public services and make state government more efficient.”
Chaired by former Rhode Island Congressman Jim Langevin, the task force will assess the risks and opportunities that the advancement of AI presents, according to a statement from Gov. McKee’s office. The collective, which includes stakeholders from Rhode Island’s public and private sectors, will also advise state policymakers on AI.
In addition to creating the state’s first artificial intelligence task force, the order establishes the Center of Excellence for AI, which will consult with Rhode Island’s Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies. The center is charged with creating a state code of ethics for AI use, as well as predicting future trends in the field.
The Data Center of Excellence will promote the advancement of enhanced data operations and management, “to give state leaders greater opportunities to collaborate on data analysis and data-driven decision-making,” according to McKee’s office, adding that the order also establishes a statewide, federated data platform intended to provide easy access to data and best practices from existing data systems.
Possessing the ability to easily connect and analyze data across state programs figures to yield better insight into the impact those programs have on Rhode Island communities, and should enable state leaders to make more data-driven decisions, said Department of Administration Director Jonathan Womer, in a statement.
“Having better data and data infrastructure will also put government in a better position to evaluate how AI can most benefit state workers and the public,” Womer said, “and it’s important that we take a measured, responsible approach to both data infrastructure development and AI.”
The state’s government leadership recognizes that the continuing rise of artificial intelligence stands to enhance government operations and change the way it conducts business going forward, added Gov. McKee.
“Rather than simply react to changes in the information technology landscape, I want Rhode Island to be a leader as this field evolves,” Gov. McKee said, in a statement. “This executive order is the first step in being proactive and preparing state government for this new technology.”
04 March 2024
Category
HR News Article