Wisconsin legislators in Madison are preparing for their initial floor votes on bills concerning the regulation of artificial intelligence, a topic that is gaining prominence as the November elections draw near.
One of the proposed bills, backed by bipartisan support, mandates that political ads leveraging AI technology must include disclaimers. Failure to comply could result in a fine of $1,000. Various organizations, including the League of Women Voters and the state’s media associations, endorse this measure, whereas no opposition groups have been identified.
The second bill, spearheaded by Republicans, aims to initiate an audit of AI utilization within state agencies. Additionally, it tasks agencies with exploring how AI could streamline the state government workforce. Notably, the bill does not specify any targets for reducing the workforce. Among supporters, only NetChoice, an e-commerce association, has officially registered its backing.
While several other AI-related bills are circulating in the Legislature, addressing issues like prohibiting AI-generated child pornography, none have advanced to a floor vote in either the Assembly or Senate.
The realm of AI encompasses a wide array of technologies, from recommendation algorithms on platforms like Netflix to advanced systems like ChatGPT, which assist in writing and content creation. The surge in investment in generative AI tools has sparked both intrigue and apprehension regarding their potential to deceive individuals and propagate misinformation.
In the past two years, numerous states, including 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, have introduced AI-related bills. Some states, such as Texas, North Dakota, and West Virginia, have established advisory bodies to oversee AI systems in use by state agencies. Louisiana has formed a security committee to evaluate AI’s implications on state operations and policies.
At the federal level, the Federal Communications Commission recently banned AI-generated robocalls following incidents where AI mimicked President Joe Biden’s voice to deter voting in New Hampshire’s primary. Despite the Biden administration issuing guidelines on AI technology, primarily outlining broad objectives without enforceable measures, Congress has yet to enact federal regulations governing AI in political campaigns.
