Maybe people in power finally watched all the different sci-fi movies that warned us about a possible doomed future if we rely too heavily on computers. Before I go off sounding like the SKYNET is falling, I don’t have a big worry about the future of AI.

Judging by how my current electrical devices work, in the future, a Terminator-type robot will be poised to make its deathblow on me and then freeze and ask me if I’d like to reboot it so that it can continue the task of exterminating me and the rest of the human race.

I’m sure the lawmakers in Olympia, Washington, don’t have that same type of future planned, but signs show they are worried. A bipartisan Artificial Intelligence Task Force is set to be proposed in January of the 2024 state Legislative session and is being spearheaded by Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

The AI Task Force will comprise 42 members from several walks of life. Tech experts, different state agencies, civil liberty advocates, consumer advocates, businesses, and state legislature members, among other groups, will fill the ranks.

“To keep Washington on the cutting edge of innovation while protecting Washingtonians, it’s imperative to look at AI’s growing use, benefits, potential for irresponsible use, and any unintended consequences”
– Attorney General of Washington.

Washington isn’t the first state to take these steps with Senate Bill 5838 and House Bill 1934. Over 20 other states have introduced legislation dealing with AI, but only 4 have created task forces to look closer into the issue. Those states are Colorado, Illinois, Vermont, and Virginia.

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The plan is for the task force to meet at least two times a year to discuss and give a report to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1st, 2025, and final recommendations in the middle of 2027. With the speed of technology vs. the speed of government, that might be too little, too late. Once the genie is out of the bottle, can we ever get it back?

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What do you think? Is the future of AI as scary as many fear, or is this just another tool for artists and entertainers to utilize? Tap the App and share your thoughts.