TLDR:
- AI Advisory Council in Texas exploring ways AI can be used in state government
- Agencies like Texas Department of Transportation already using AI for efficiency
The Texas Department of Transportation and other state agencies in Texas are actively exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to increase efficiency and productivity. The new Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council, created by the Legislature, has been meeting to investigate the role of AI in government. The council, appointed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dade Phelan, is considering potential legislation related to AI usage in state agencies.
At a recent panel at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Policy Summit, council co-chairs discussed the future of AI in state government and revealed that there are already ideas for potential legislation in the works. State agencies like the Department of Transportation are utilizing AI for incident detection, automated invoicing, and video analytics on traffic cameras to improve operations.
During a recent three-hour session where council members heard testimonies from various state agencies, it was revealed that agencies have been using generative AI, chatbots, and other AI technologies to enhance services. The Department of Information Resources privacy attorney mentioned that there is a spectrum of approaches to AI usage among agencies, with some having strict rules and others being more open to employee use.
The Texas Department of Transportation is currently testing and using AI for various purposes such as incident detection, user access management, and video analytics. The council is expected to publish its final report with policy proposals related to AI in November or December, which could include legislation on state AI policies, data privacy, and cybersecurity.