Artificial Intelligence
More states look to preempt local AI laws, report finds
The Local Solutions Support Center found that a dozen bills in nine states look to limit local regulations and promote a so-called “right to compute,” backed by a powerful conservative group.
How AI can lead to false arrests and wrongful convictions
COMMENTARY | Danger arises when law enforcement believes that AI models are retrieving certainties rather than generating likelihoods.
Canvas breach spotlights cybercriminal appetite for student data
Cyberattacks on widely used third-party services like Canvas can expose sensitive data that hackers can later weaponize. Higher education institutions are often a prime target.
Florida has a new law regulating AI data centers
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed into law a requirement that data centers must pay their own utility costs and not shift them onto consumers.
US tech official calls for ‘transformational’ use of AI in scientific discovery
Chief Technology Officer Ethan Klein said deploying AI agents across workflows will enhance scientific efficiency, which is particularly critical “because that underpins every one of these technologies that we're looking to develop.”
Why government information gets reassigned by AI — and what that means for public trust
COMMENTARY | Residents rely on governments for information, and knowing which agency issued a statement helps hold them accountable. When that authority is murky, that accountability weakens.
How a data center derailed $240,000 for affordable housing in rural Maine
In rural Midcoast Maine, nearly a quarter of a million dollars in federal money earmarked for housing was rescinded from a small town after local officials sought to use the funds for a data center.
Pennsylvania sues Character.AI developer, alleging chatbots claimed to be medical professionals
Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration says a controversial AI chatbot developer is violating the state’s Medical Practice Act.
New bill would narrow scope of Colorado’s landmark 2024 AI law
Proposed compromise would repeal law’s most substantial regulations on AI developers and "deployers."
How libraries can help the public engage with AI and their local government
With a better understanding of the technology, residents could be more trusting of and engaged with government’s use of AI.
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Government leaders see ‘momentum’ in agencies’ AI adoption
Speakers at the Google Cloud Next conference in Las Vegas last week said the shift from pilot programs to implementation has accelerated in the last year, and will keep doing so.
Minnesota passes the nation’s first ban on ‘nudification’ apps
The apps are one of the major ways nonconsensual AI deepfakes can be made without any technical expertise — including by kids.
Florida Speaker kills DeSantis’ AI regulation, vaccine repeal bills on first day of special session
In social media posts, DeSantis accused House Republicans of catering to the “Big Tech cartel” and “the medical industrial complex” for killing his bills.
Lawmakers introduce consolidated AI bill package
The American Leadership in Artificial Intelligence Act takes provisions from previous bills and the 2024 Bipartisan AI Task Force report to move forward AI policies with support from both sides of the aisle.
California’s health insurance marketplace further expands AI for document verification
Covered California said the tech will now be used for more than two dozen document types to speed up checking eligibility while reducing fraud, waste and abuse at the same time.
Maine governor vetoes landmark data center ban
Janet Mills said the moratorium bill, which would have banned data centers larger than 20 megawatts until Nov. 2027, did not take into account a popular local project.
When AI explains local government, authority gets blurred
COMMENTARY | Summaries can be a useful tool to show residents what is happening inside agencies. But leaders must be cautious when using them to ensure that vital information doesn’t get lost or misinterpreted.
Nonprofit launches forum to help city leaders leverage AI effectively
The AI and Emerging Technology Forum will serve as a platform for local leaders to learn about and pilot new AI tools and use cases.
DeSantis pressures House to pass AI Bill of Rights, references FSU shooting
“I think voters are going to look and say, ‘Why are you siding with big tech against the people of this state?'”
College students using deepfakes to harass could be investigated, punished under proposed law
A Louisiana legislative committee has advanced a bill that would add the creation of deepfakes to a list of punishable offenses for college students and employees.
