Utah Attorney General Derek Brown announced Thursday the formation of a task force with leading artificial intelligence developers to tackle issues and safeguards in the AI industry.
Along with North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson, Brown is partnering with leaders from OpenAI and Microsoft in a “groundbreaking bipartisan AI Task Force” that aims to protect the public and reduce the risk of harm from AI technologies.
“Freedom means being free from manipulation or exploitation by powerful technologies,” Brown said in a statement. “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.”
The task force will focus on three things: working with law enforcement, experts and stakeholders to identify emerging AI issues, develop basic safeguards for developers to follow, create a “standing forum” to track AI developments and coordinate timely responses.
“AI is moving fast, and so are the risks,” Jackson said. “Congress hasn’t put basic protections in place, and we can’t wait. As attorneys general, our job is to keep people safe. AI is becoming part of everyday life for families and kids. Taking thoughtful steps now will help prevent harm as this technology becomes more powerful and more present in our daily lives.”
Brown and Jackson worked together earlier this year with other attorneys general to remove language in the federal budget reconciliation bill that would have placed a 10-year moratorium on the enforcement of laws involving artificial intelligence. They also have urged search engines and payment platforms to do more to fight deepfake pornography.
“We’re grateful to be working with state attorneys general across the country, and especially appreciative of Generals Jackson and Brown for bringing everyone together for this important conversation,” said Jason Kwon, chief strategy officer for OpenAI.
“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. State attorneys general have a key role in making sure this technology earns people’s trust and delivers real benefits for communities,” Known said.