Sanders announces formation of task force to review and offer recommendations on use of AI in state government

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Wednesday the formation of a yearlong task force to review and offer recommendations “for the safe use of artificial intelligence” in state government.

The “Center of Excellence in AI and Analytics” will be established through a subcommittee of the Panel on Data and Transparency at a meeting Thursday, according to a press release from the office of the governor. The task force will study and provide suggestions on state policies, best practices and guidelines “for the ethical, effective and safe use of AI in Arkansas state government” , says the press release.

According to Sanders’ office, the task force will also evaluate pilot projects to develop “best practices for safe potential implementation of the technology.”

The first two projects identified for consideration focus on unemployment insurance fraud, through the Division of Workforce Services, and on reducing recidivism, through the Department of Arkansas Corrections.

“AI is already transforming the face of business in America, and Arkansas government cannot be caught off guard,” Sanders said in the statement. “As we work to find efficiencies in state government, AI can play a role, with appropriate safeguards, in improving our level of service to Arkansans while keeping costs low.”

The Republican governor also said the state must also protect Arkansans from harm caused by the misuse of artificial intelligence.

“This working group will build the knowledge base we need to safely achieve these goals,” she said.

The group’s full list will be established at Thursday’s meeting based on the nominations and recommendations of the Data and Transparency Group, governor’s office spokeswoman Alexa Henning said in an email.

Membership will include:

Robert McGough, Arkansas data director

Jennifer Davis, Arkansas Chief Privacy Officer, or her designee

Arkansas Safety Officer Gary Vance or his designee

Arkansas Chief Technology Officer or designee

Arkansas Workforce Director or designee

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin or his designee

Allison Bragg, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Inspector General or designee

Lindsay Wallace, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Corrections, or his designee

Renee Mallory, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Health, or her designee

Leslie Fisken, Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Transformation and Shared Services, or designee

Arkansas Revenue Commissioner or Delegate

Member of the Arkansas Senate

Member of the Arkansas House of Representatives

A representative of the Arkansas law enforcement community

Two data and information science professors from Arkansas higher education institutions

Two members of the Arkansas business community with expertise in artificial intelligence

The guidelines recommended by the Center of Excellence in AI and Analytics will take into account factors such as trust, accuracy, bias, safety, ethical use and intellectual property, according to the release.

Unless Sanders ends prematurely or extends its duration, the task force will last for one year from the date of its creation. It will meet monthly and provide the governor with an initial report by December 15 on the status of its files and projects, with the report focusing on economic development, efficiency, cost savings and safety.

The use of artificial intelligence in various facets of life, from professional to personal, has exploded in recent years, stoking both optimism about its potential uses and concern about possible dangers.

Health systems in Northwest Arkansas have experimented with using artificial intelligence for tasks such as rescheduling appointments through chatbots and monitoring work, and the Fort Smith school district has considered in March contracting with a company that uses artificial intelligence to detect weapons.

Domestically, Google in May announced changes to its ubiquitous search engine to favor answers designed by artificial intelligence, a move that sparked concerns from businesses and media that the answers Automated information could cause people not to visit their websites.

Experts have also long feared that artificial intelligence could be used to spread disinformation online in an effort to influence elections, a major concern heading into the November general election.

Sanders has already created other task forces, including one targeting human trafficking that provided recommendations to the governor in October 2023 and a maternal health task force that was created through an executive order in March.