credit: Jamil Ragland / CT News Junkie
HARTFORD – Senate Democrats on Monday pushed for passage of an amended bill to begin regulating artificial intelligence, after the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill and sent it back to the Senate floor.
Senate Bill 2 establishes certain requirements for the development of AI in the state. This includes banning the distribution of non-consensual intimate images created with deepfake technology, commonly referred to as “revenge porn.” Set rules and definitions to combat algorithmic discrimination. Establish an online AI academy to train state residents in AI technology. and create a broadband outreach program to provide services and devices to state residents without access to broadband internet.
“A lot has changed throughout the process. We have incorporated stakeholder feedback from both industry and academic constituencies and have been meeting regularly with people to update the bill. I expect the draft bill to be released after this (Monday or Tuesday),” said Sen. James Maloney, D-Milford.
One of the key changes in the bill is the removal of a provision requiring developers to take reasonable care to protect consumers' risks arising from changes to generative artificial intelligence systems.
“[Section 4] is modeled on Article 52C of the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act… I think it may be too early for that part of the Bill. In talking to many large companies, it was that section that caused the most anxiety among people. So we decided to remove that part from the bill. It wasn't going to take effect until 2026, so my thinking was that there was still time to put it in a special committee and get that section right, so we could work on it and get it right next year. So I hope that change is moving us in the right direction,” Maloney said.
These changes helped many in the small business community support the proposed legislation. Matthew Walker, founder and CEO of VRSim, a company that develops virtual reality simulators for manufacturing and allied health workers, welcomed the new rules proposed by Congress.
“I believe that regulation is an important way to avoid unintended consequences from technology. I have been asked to join Senator Maloney and his group to help strike the balance they were trying to put together.” “We like the idea of regulation. We like the idea of certainty. We want to see where the guidelines go and what the requirements should be,” he said at a press conference Monday. I like the concept of understanding things.”
Nadja Bennett, impact researcher at LiveGirl, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and empowering diverse women leaders, spoke about the importance of the bill's provisions against deepfake porn and revenge porn.
“I speak out in support of this bill, especially in terms of protections against deepfakes and non-consensual intimate images. 96% of deepfake videos are pornographic, and most involve women and girls. “You should know that,” she said. “No one is safe, whether it’s your daughter, your cousin, your family, your extended family. With the rapid adoption of AI and the speed at which technology is developing, we don’t know how far this will go. However, I hope that we will continue to take a stance to prevent this kind of behavior and that the bill will be passed.”
The lack of action on regulating artificial intelligence at the federal level has left each state responsible for setting the rules of the road regarding AI. According to the Council of State Governments, 17 states have passed 29 bills focused on some aspect of AI regulation. These bills range from bills aimed at protecting data privacy to bills that ensure AI is developed through collaborative dialogue with many stakeholders.
Connecticut's latest bill has undergone changes since February, and despite support from industry giants such as IBM and Microsoft, some in the technology industry remain opposed to Connecticut's proposed bill and state-level regulations. There is.
Gary Shapiro, CEO of the Consumer Technology Association, said, “SB 2 imposes onerous obligations on AI developers and adopters that will extend far beyond Connecticut's borders.'' ” he said. “This could result in a patchwork of compliance requirements, stifling innovation, and halting market growth.” We encourage consideration of alternative approaches that address concerns while fostering innovation.”
Instead, the CTA is asking Congress to enact national legislation to address regulatory concerns about AI.
“CTA urges Congress to act quickly to establish national rules on AI to protect global competitiveness and the borderless nature of technology,” Shapiro added. “As North America's largest technology industry association, we stand ready to leverage our experience in AI policymaking and standardization to collaborate on effective and progressive AI policy.”
Members of the Judiciary Committee largely supported the bill, although they acknowledged that it had undergone a difficult process. Sen. Gary Winfield (D-New Haven) called the bill a “work in progress” but called on his colleagues to support it.
Rep. Doug Dubitsky (R-Norwich) was less enthusiastic about the bill. “I have a lot of questions and comments about this, but I'm going to leave them for today. I'm going to wait to see what the final bill looks like and, if it's introduced, I'll bring it to the floor.” he said. “We are concerned about unintended consequences and the possibility of overreach.”
The Joint Judiciary Committee passed the bill 17-3.
