Santa Cruz County Developing Policies and Guidelines for AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to change life as we know it. As the technology expands, forward-thinking employers are developing strategies and guidelines for its use in the workplace.

Santa Cruz County is among the first local governments to announce preparations for the future of AI. On Thursday, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to develop policies that “include ethical considerations, risks, data privacy and opportunities” associated with the technology.

According to a press release, the county will establish a working group to develop policies around:

• Data privacy and security, including refraining from sharing confidential and sensitive data with AI interfaces until the systems are determined to be operating in compliance with HIPAA and other data privacy laws.

• Transparency, assuring that the use of AI is explainable to users.

• Accountability, including evaluations to ensure AI system are accurate and/or operating appropriately.

• Fairness and bias, assuring that AI does not discriminate on the basis of race,

sex, or other protected classes.

• Informed consent, assuring users are informed and can opt out of using AI.

• Responsible, including the development of ethical guideline for the use of AI

technologies.

Read more here.