Banning ‘woke’ AI in Idaho

A bill advancing through the legislature in Idaho would, uniquely, prohibit state agencies from procuring or even using artificial intelligence systems that promote principles of diversity, equity or inclusion. Borrowing much of the same language from a similar proposal advanced last year in an executive order by President Donald Trump, Idaho House Bill 687 would require vendors and agencies to ensure that all large language models have outputs that are ideologically neutral and “truth-seeking.” Quinn Anex-Ries, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology, told the Priorities Podcast why such a goal is likely impossible and potentially harmful to the operations of Idaho’s state government.

This week’s top stories: 

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Monday named Jon Eichten, the state’s deputy IT commissioner, as the new statewide chief information officer, replacing Tarek Tomes, whose official final day with the state was Sunday.

Texas has named Tony Sauerhoff, who’s been Texas’ interim chief information officer since January, as the new statewide CIO. Sauerhoff, who most recently served as the state’s chief artificial intelligence and innovation officer, replaces Amanda Craword, who was appointed in January as the state’s insurance commissioner.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs last week unveiled a plan designed to save her state as much as $100 million over three years, but without cutting essential services. In previewing the plan during her State of the State address in January, she said: “We will not decimate important services that families and businesses rely on.”

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