PROVIDENCE – Gov. Daniel J. McKee on Thursday signed an Executive Order at Rhode Island College creating a state Artificial Intelligence Task Force and a Center of Excellence for AI within the R.I. Department of Administration.
McKee appointed former U.S. Rep. James Langevin to chair the task force, which will be charged with assessing the risks and opportunities presented by AI technology and advising state policymakers. Langevin is the director of the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies at Rhode Island College.
The order includes a “chief data officer” position to oversee the Center for Excellence, appointed by the DOA director and reporting to Rhode Island's chief information officer. The CDO will be tasked “to develop, implement and maintain" the center "to promote inter-governmental collaboration of data activities, under the direction of the state data governance structure," according to the order.
The center will also promote AI policy and procedures that could improve state government operations, mandating state agencies to build a state code of ethics for AI “to minimize bias and create a framework that supports and guides state employees,” consulting with the Institute for Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies and other AI experts to develop a risk analysis and suggest safeguards for the use of AI, “including predictions about future trends and advancements.”
Among the goals of the directive is to increase state government efficiency, data accessibility for the public, and prepare the state "to responsibly support the technology’s advancement in the private sector."
The order is effective immediately.
Christopher Allen is a PBN staff writer. You may contact him at Allen@PBN.com.