Connecticut Senate Advances Groundbreaking Legislation to Regulate Bias in Artificial Intelligence

Connecticut Senate Passes Groundbreaking Legislation to Regulate Artificial Intelligence Bias

HARTFORD (AP) — In a historic move, the Connecticut Senate voted 24-12 to pass one of the first major legislative proposals in the U.S. aimed at curbing bias in artificial intelligence decision-making and protecting individuals from harm, including the spread of deepfakes and manufactured videos.

The bill, the result of two years of task force meetings in Connecticut and collaboration among a bipartisan group of legislators from multiple states, seeks to prevent a patchwork of laws across the country in the absence of federal action on the issue.

Democratic Sen. James Maroney, the key author of the bill, emphasized the importance of the legislation, stating, “I think that this is a very important bill for the state of Connecticut. It’s very important I think also for the country as a first step to get a bill like this.”

Lawmakers from Connecticut, Colorado, Texas, Alaska, Georgia, and Virginia have been at the forefront of the national debate on regulating AI, working with industry, academia, and advocates to create proposed regulations for safe and trustworthy AI.

However, not all legislators are in favor of the bill. Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding expressed concerns that the legislation may have unintended consequences that could harm businesses and residents in the state.

Governor Ned Lamont, a former cable TV entrepreneur, has also voiced reservations about the bill potentially stifling innovation in the emerging AI industry.

The bill includes provisions to protect consumers, tenants, and employees from AI discrimination based on protected classes, as well as criminalizing the dissemination of deepfake pornography and deceptive AI-generated media in political campaigns. It also mandates digital watermarks on AI-generated images for transparency and requires certain AI users to develop policies to eliminate discrimination risks.

Critics argue that the bill does not go far enough, calling for more stringent disclosure requirements for companies using AI to make decisions about consumers.

The legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.

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