Inside AI Policy: Washington state lawmakers to consider controversial automated decision-making bill

Electronic Privacy Information Center counsel Kara Williams told Inside AI Policy, it’s “important to clarify that this bill would apply to only a small fraction of AI use cases — it targets only uses of AI that are a substantial factor in a consequential decision, meaning a decision about a Washingtonian’s employment, housing, health care, education, insurance, government services, financial services, legal services, or interactions with the criminal justice system.”

“The bill only applies when companies are using AI as a main factor in making decisions about the most important aspects of our lives,” Williams said. “And in cases where companies will have to comply with the bill, all they have to do is inform people that they’re going to use AI to help make these decision, conduct an impact assessment of the AI system, and implement a risk management program — these are all extremely basic and commonsense safeguards to require of companies that are using unproven AI systems that are often biased and inaccurate to make important decisions about people’s lives.”

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