As artificial intelligence continues to advance at warp speed, Texas leaders are trying to stay out in front of the revolution. Last year, the state Legislature established the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to help the state utilize AI when helpful while preventing the more dangerous aspects of the technology. The council is co-chaired by state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) and state Sen. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound).
Capriglione and Parker appeared on a panel discussion at the recent Texas Policy Summit to discuss the present and future of AI in Texas and around the country. "We're talking about the ability to make massive computations in a very speedy and quick amount of time," says Capriglione.
To that end, agencies like the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Workforce Commission are already using AI to compute data faster and more efficiently, and in the case of TxDOT, to even predict accidents or traffic issues before they happen and respond faster.
While these uses of AI are safe and helpful, other potential uses raise far more questions. "When it comes to using AI to manage our electric grid, Texas needs to be very careful about how that AI is being implemented," says Capriglione. "Or talking about AI in use in our elections, perhaps there need to be some guard rails put in place."
Indeed, the impact of AI is already causing issues in the 2024 election cycle. While Capriglione agrees the state can set "guard rails" on some of these issues, there are more serious AI threats that ultimately will need to be addressed at the federal level. "If you're talking about AI in the national security space---which is already happening---if you're talking about AI detecting missile sites in North Korea for instance, there need to be some very strict guard rails put into place," he says.
"Companies like Microsoft, Meta, Google, and Amazon, who are engaged in this AI race, cannot be allowed to sell that technology to Iran, or North Korea, or Russia, or China."
There is unlikely to be any federal AI legislation passed before the end of the current Congress, which leaves states like Texas to police it for now. "Texas has been a leader, and it's important that states move on this," says Capriglione. "Because if you're waiting for good, thoughtful legislation from Capitol Hill, you might be waiting for a long time."
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