On Tuesday, Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order to develop guidelines for how the state adopts generative artificial intelligence into its own systems to ensure its ethical and transparent use.
Under Inslee’s order, WaTech, the agency operating the state’s technology and information security services, will work with the governor’s cabinet agencies to submit a report identifying potential generative AI initiatives that could be implemented in state operations. The plan would develop initial guidelines for how the government may procure, use and monitor the use of generative AI.
“This executive order lays out a year-long process for agencies working together to assess the feasibility, benefits and challenges of integrating this technology into agency operations and services,” Inslee said. “It’s our duty to the public to be thorough and thoughtful in how we adopt these powerful new tools.”
People and businesses are adopting generative artificial intelligence – digital algorithms used to create new content – at a dizzying rate. This new technology’s explosive popularity is seen in the enjoyment consumers get out of chatbots like ChatGPT and photorealistic image creators like DALL-E 2.
But groundbreaking technologies present unknowns, and those can include risks and unintended consequences. Some AI models still have significant quality limitations, raise privacy and security concerns, and have been shown to reinforce social biases.
Whatever the peril or promise of generative AI, we are just scratching the surface in how we understand this new technology. In response, more national and state governments are stepping up to put guidelines in place to support innovation while also looking at guardrails that address security, privacy and other growing concerns among the public as this technology expands.