Dive Brief:
- A California bill designed to provide safeguards against discrimination when artificial intelligence is involved in high-stakes decision-making was shelved by the state legislature Sept. 12, with the option for it to be reintroduced next year.
- The bill, AB 1018, would require government agencies and businesses to disclose when AI is used to make a “consequential decision,” such as determining housing, employment or financial aid.
- "AB 1018 has demonstrated strong support across both houses that reflects my colleagues' shared understanding of the need to address algorithmic discrimination,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan said in a statement. She added that the pause reflects a commitment to “getting this critical legislation right.”
Dive Insight:
Deployment of AI in the public sector has ramped up in recent years, with major cities like Dallas and San Francisco adopting AI tools that are often lauded for their efficiency.
But some experts say clear regulation of the new technology is lacking. A recent survey also found many residents remain wary of its use in government.
The Trump administration has taken a deregulatory approach to AI, however, with President Donald Trump pledging to withhold federal funding from states that pass “burdensome” AI regulations.
Bauer-Kahan’s regulatory legislation would require AI decision-making tools to be tested for bias. The bill has more than 70 opponents.
“We need to be making sure that if these algorithms are making the decisions, that we are testing them to ensure we are not perpetuating that historical bias,” Bauer-Kahan said at a July committee meeting. “Because example after example shows us that it is absolutely what happens.”
The assemblymember has said she will work with Gov. Gavin Newsom and stakeholders to prepare the bill for the next legislative session.
“I will not give up on this bill because I think it is fundamentally one of the most important things we can do for civil rights today,” Bauer-Kahan said at the July meeting.