In collaboration with North Carolina, Utah Attorney General Derek Brown’s office announced a bipartisan task force to keep artificial intelligence in check — and the states have big names in the tech world backing them up.
The task force’s mission, per the press release, is to stay up to date on the ever-evolving landscape of AI, thus ensuring safety measures are put into place to protect everyone, especially the most vulnerable. The collaborative effort is in partnership with AI developers, including OpenAI and Microsoft.
“Freedom means being free from manipulation or exploitation by powerful technologies,” Brown said Thursday. “This task force is committed to defending our freedoms and our privacy while also building a safer digital world for our families and our children. By working together with other attorneys general, we will protect our society from potential abuses of AI before they ever happen.”
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson stated in a joint video posted on X that it is his and Brown’s responsibility, as the top law enforcement officials in their states, to protect their residents from threats such as deepfakes or voice duplication that aim to trick users into sharing private information or money.
That said, the press release stated the following key issues the task force will focus on are:
- Working with law enforcement, experts and stakeholders to identify emerging AI issues so attorneys general are equipped to protect the public.
- Developing basic safeguards that AI developers should follow to protect the public and reduce the risk of harm, especially to children.
- Creating a standing forum to track developments in AI and coordinate timely responses as new challenges emerge.
OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, Jason Kwon, said he was grateful for the collaboration between the tech world and state law enforcement.
“AI can make a real difference in people’s everyday lives, and we know we have to get this right since it has real-world impact,” he said, per the press release. “State attorneys general have a key role in making sure this technology earns people’s trust and delivers real benefits for communities.”