Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee signed an executive order Thursday creating an artificial intelligence task force, a new chief data officer role, and an AI “center of excellence.”
The new AI task force will be chaired by former Rep. Jim Langevin, who McKee also recently selected to lead the state's new Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies Institute. According to the order, the task force will be made up of members from both the public and private sectors appointed by Mr. McKee. The task force is tasked with exploring ways to use AI to make state government more efficient, improve services, and prepare the state to responsibly support technology advancements in Rhode Island's private sector. Masu.
“Data security and individual privacy remain our top priorities when it comes to technology,” Brian Tardif, Rhode Island's chief digital officer and chief information officer, said in a news release. “By making developing a state code of ethics for this work our first task, we are ensuring a human-centered focus that minimizes bias and maximizes support and resources.”
A new “Center of Excellence” in AI, under the leadership of the Rhode Island Department of Government and the Chief Data Officer, in consultation with the Institute for Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies, will create a state code of ethics for AI and help shape the future of AI. predict trends. in the field, the release said. The order also directs new “data centers of excellence” to improve data operations and management, and aims to increase opportunities for state leaders to collaborate on data analysis and data-driven decision-making. .
The new chief data officer position will be located within the state's Enterprise Technology Strategy and Services Division. The chief data officer will also be tasked with leading a statewide data platform, which the state says will make data easier to access and use across the agency.
Rhode Island follows several other states that have already established task forces to understand how AI can help or hinder government operations. Oklahoma's AI Task Force released recommendations last month on how the state can deploy AI to increase government efficiency, including workforce automation to eliminate “redundant” government positions. It also included strategy.