AI revolutionizes state agencies; Texas explores its transformative potential.

Key Points:

  • More than a third of state agencies in Texas are using artificial intelligence (AI).
  • The adoption of AI in state government has raised concerns about bias, privacy, and loss of control.
  • The Texas Legislature passed a bill creating an AI advisory council to study the use of AI and assess the need for a code of ethics.
  • AI is being used in various ways, including chatbots, job recommendation tools, translation services, and fraud detection.

Texas state agencies are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and improve efficiency. One example is the Texas Workforce Commission, which used a chatbot named “Larry” to help Texans sign up for unemployment benefits. Larry answered more than 21 million questions before being replaced by an updated version. However, the rapid adoption of AI in state government has raised concerns about unintended consequences, such as bias, loss of privacy, and the potential for humans to lose control of the technology.

In response to these concerns, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2060, which created an AI advisory council to study the use of AI in state agencies and assess the need for a code of ethics. The council includes members from the state House and Senate, as well as experts in AI, ethics, law enforcement, and constitutional law. Its role is to monitor how the state is using AI but does not involve writing final policies.

The use of AI in Texas state agencies is already widespread. According to a report from the Texas Department of Information Resources, more than a third of state agencies are utilizing some form of AI. Examples include job recommendation tools, translation services, call center tools, and cybersecurity and fraud detection systems. The Texas Department of Information Resources has also launched an AI Center for Excellence to help state agencies implement AI technology.

However, the current use of AI in state agencies is not closely tracked, and there are no specific disclosure requirements regarding the types of technology being used or how they are used. House Bill 2060 aims to address this by requiring each agency to provide information about the technology they use to the AI advisory council.

While there are concerns about the ethics and functionality of AI, proponents argue that AI can help make government work more efficiently. For example, AI could speed up case management for social services, provide quick summaries of policy analyses, or streamline the hiring process for government employees. However, critics worry that AI could be brought into decision-making processes that affect people’s lives, such as determining eligibility for social service benefits or parole decisions.

There are also concerns about bias and privacy. AI systems can absorb biases from past data, potentially leading to discriminatory outcomes. Additionally, AI often relies on collecting large amounts of data, raising privacy concerns and fears about humans losing control over the technology.

In order to address these concerns and ensure the responsible use of AI, the AI advisory council will study the current use of AI in state agencies and make recommendations to the Legislature. The council will submit its findings and recommendations by December 2024.

In the meantime, interest in deploying AI in government is growing. The Texas Department of Information Resources operates an AI user group that includes representatives from state agencies, higher education, and local governments. The group has more than 300 members representing over 85 different entities.

Overall, the use of AI in Texas state government is expanding, but there is a need for oversight and regulation to address concerns about bias, privacy, and loss of control. The AI advisory council will play a crucial role in monitoring the use of AI and making recommendations for responsible implementation.