‘As AI changes the business world,’ 23 attorneys general insist on governance policies

Artificial intelligence or AI is gaining prevalence in the lives of Americans.

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares co-led a 23-state bipartisan coalition of attorneys general to encourage the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to advance AI governance policies that prioritize robust transparency, reliable testing and assessment requirements, and allow for government oversight and enforcement for high-risk uses.

In a letter, the attorneys general applaud the NTIA’s commitment to a rigorous and data-driven approach to developing AI governance policies, but they recommend that the NTIA consider a risk-based approach that recognizes that some AI uses require greater oversight than others. An example would be when AI is developed or used to make decisions result in legal or other significant effects on people.

“When considering the rapid growth of artificial intelligence technologies, it is critical that we proactively establish a legal framework to ensure it is thoroughly researched and vetted,” Miyares said. “As AI changes the business world, it’s important to set a precedent on how to use it in an ethical and responsible way.”

The attorneys general encourage the NTIA to develop a governance framework that leverages the public and private sectors and supports the responsible development, use and deployment of AI systems to ensure such systems can develop in trusted, fair and technologically dynamic environment.

Miyares leads the letter with Attorneys General Phil Weiser of Colorado, Jonathan Skrmetti of Tennessee and William Tong of Connecticut. They were joined by the attorneys general of Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Vermont.