HARTFORD, CT – The Senate Wednesday passed a bill to regulate artificial intelligence after a passionate debate over whether the rules will protect state residents from the kind of dangers the internet has brought or become unbearable burdens to businesses and stifle innovation.
Senate Bill 2 passed along party lines – 24-12 – with Democrats in favor and Republicans opposed.
The bill regulates a wide range of issues related to the use and development of AI, including prohibitions on distributing non-consensual intimate images created with deepfake technology; setting up rules and definitions to combat algorithm-based discrimination; establishing an online AI academy to help state residents train with AI technology; and creating a broadband outreach program to provide service and devices to state residents without access to broadband internet./image
The proposal has been met with concerns from Gov. Ned Lamont, who has said some of the measures could stifle innovation, one of the criticisms raised by Republicans during debate that stretched into the evening.
Sen. Bob Duff, D-Norwalk, was among the proponents who refuted those concerns. He noted that similar arguments were made during the early days of the internet when government mistakenly did too little to regulate the new industry.
“Social media is completely unregulated,” Duff said.
He said the results have been harmful to children who are “addicted to being online” and reflected in things like data security breaches.
The legislation has been discussed with stakeholders including from the healthcare industry, said its principal architect, Sen. James Maroney, D-Milford.
He said it will incentivize innovation in the health industry. A number of Republicans voiced concerns over whether healthcare providers who face a burden in regulations related to the use of AI in patient care – issues that they would not face in other states.
Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, said some provisions related to healthcare likely conflict with federal regulations and that exemptions related to rules involving some feral agencies like the Federal Drug Administration should be expanded for health professionals.
Beyond concerns over the effects on businesses and technology companies, Republicans said they were worried that legislation on such a complex issue was being voted on too soon after Senate members received the final bill.
“This is the most complex bill we’ve dealt with this session,” said Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding of Brookfield. “We don’t know the full grasp of what’s before us.”
Sen. Saud Anwar, D-South Windsor, said far from being rushed, the legislation is overdue. He noted there is already evidence that AI is negatively affecting state residents, noting that he’s aware of an insurance company declining payments every second – an indication they are using AI to make those fast decisions.
“It’s malpractice by this body is we don’t pass a bill protecting people from AI being used in a negative way,” Anwar said.
