State Scoop: Are states using unethical AI software? 

On this week’s Priorities podcast, an author of a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission about automated public-benefit fraud detection software explains the filing. Grant Fergusson, a fellow at the Electronic Privacy Information Center, explains the “concerning things” the group found and why it’s asking for more responsible use of artificial intelligence by governments and their vendors. “The information we found suggested that [the tools] were using data and analytics that didn’t make sense for fraud detection — things like social media profiles, how far you were traveling for groceries — all kinds of random assortments and information,” Fergusson says. “Also concerning because there was information that we weren’t receiving from the government.” 

Listen here.