Rep. Travis Couture pre-files bill to create AI Task Force
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Rep. Travis Couture pre-files bill to create AI Task Force
As Artificial Intelligence (AI) advances rapidly into our daily lives, Rep. Travis Couture, R-Allyn, is proposing legislation to ensure Washington state understands the risks and benefits and puts the appropriate policies in place.
Couture pre-filed House Bill 1934 last week.
“So often policymakers are behind the eight-ball when new technology emerges, and we are forced to be reactionary. My bipartisan bill will help us avoid that as much as possible by creating a taskforce of the region’s experts to help educate the Legislature on AI and make recommendations on future policy,” said Couture. “The goal is to make sure Washington has quality, non-binding recommendations in place to exploit the good AI can do and mitigate the bad.”
There have been many theoretical concerns surrounding AI as well as real world examples of the potential harm it can create, such as the recent case of New Jersey high school students accused of using AI to create pornographic images of classmates. At the same time, the technology is a potential game-changer in education, healthcare, and much more.
“We do not want to ban something that creates tremendous benefit simply because we do not understand it,” said Couture. “But we also must anticipate potential risks on the horizon and plan accordingly. This taskforce helps us do that. It also meets the slow and methodical approach most people who responded to my recent AI survey indicated they favored.”
Respondents in the 35th District also weighed in on their top concerns about AI and what they thought could be potential benefits.
“The emergence of AI is exciting and comes with great responsibility for all, but especially for policymakers,” said Couture. “I truly believe this taskforce is the best place for the state to start and ensure all policymakers in Washington are well informed so they can work to create fair and safe guardrails for this world-changing technology.”
