State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, has announced the advancement of his legislation that aims to build upon recent directives from President Joe Biden and Gov. Gavin Newsom addressing the unprecedented growth of artificial intelligence technology.
The 2023 White House Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, in addition to recent executive guidance from Newsom, establish a framework for addressing concerns including AI-driven algorithms that discriminate against people based on income levels or race, and the effects of automated machines on our workforce. Additionally, the president and governor have underscored threats posed by AI to data and consumer privacy, and the potential for misusing the technology to deceive and defraud.
“Artificial intelligence has tremendous potential to improve our lives and the functioning of government,” Dodd said in a news release. “But it also presents risks, specifically the threat to consumer privacy, transparency and fairness. My proposal will help identify potential problems with these emerging systems and develop appropriate guidelines to protect our state and the public.”
His bill passed the Assembly Privacy and Consumer Protection Committee on Tuesday after previously being approved by the full Senate. It heads next to Assembly Appropriations.
Dodd's proposed Generative AI Accountability Act, also known as Senate Bill 896, aims to guide the decision-making of state agencies, departments and subdivisions in the review, adoption, management, governance and regulation of automated decision-making technologies. One provision in the bill would require state agencies to notify users when they are interacting with AI. SB 896 is a follow-up to Dodd’s Senate Concurrent Resolution 17, adopted last year, which sets forth many of the ideas and was the first AI-drafted state resolution in history.
Further, it states the intent of the Legislature that the private sector adhere to these rights and safeguards, in addition to any specific statutory or regulatory requirements, and evolving best practices.
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