State Task Force Releases Landmark Report on the Effects of Generative AI in Illinois

Co-Chairs Rep. Rashid, Sen. Peters, AI Task Force Members, Rep. Gong-Gershowitz Issue Call for Robust Regulations to Protect Workers, Civil Rights, and the Environment

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Today, the Illinois Generative AI and Natural Language Processing Task Force released a new report that provides the first in-depth analysis by the state on the far-reaching effects of generative AI on civil rights, education, labor, consumer protections, and the environment. The report outlines critical recommendations for AI regulations and standards in Illinois.

Task force members, led by co-chairs state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, D-Bridgeview, and state Sen. Robert Peters, D-Chicago, Secretary Sanjay Gupta of DoIT, labor leaders representing AFSCME Council 31, SAG-AFTRA, and joined by state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, the ACLU and others, held an event on Wednesday to announce the report.

“This report serves as both a call to action and a roadmap for ensuring that generative AI is harnessed responsibly in Illinois,” said Rashid, co-chair of the task force, “We need to foster innovation, while safeguarding against the very real risks that AI poses to privacy, equity, and public trust. Technology can be used to uplift – but only if there is transparency and accountability.”

“Generative AI presents both immense challenges and opportunities,” said Peters, co-chair of the task force, “This report is a crucial step toward ensuring Illinois can harness this technology responsibly, protecting our workers, our privacy and our environment. We must lead with clear standards to make sure AI serves the public good, not just corporate interests.”

“As we embrace generative AI and Natural Language Processing, we must recognize the unique cybersecurity risks they pose to our institutions and users,” said Illinois Department of Innovation & Technology Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Sanjay Gupta. “Our report emphasizes the need for robust security measures and proactive approach to effectively mitigate these risks. By doing so, we can harness the power of AI to improve public services and operational efficiency for all Illinois residents.”

“The entire Illinois labor community, and the creative sector in particular, want to thank the Governor and the legislature for the groundbreaking worker protections they’ve enacted,” said Richard Shavzin of SAG-AFTRA and the IL AFL-CIO. “At the same time, we acknowledge that the potential threats posed by unchecked generative AI will require constant attention and vigilance well into the future.”

Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence capable of creating novel content such as text and images. The report identifies and analyzes generative AI’s effects in seven key areas:

Labor and the Workforce: Generative AI has the potential to automate a wide range of tasks, from content creation to legal analysis, raising concerns about mass job displacement and the erosion of intellectual property rights. The report urges policymakers to support workers through training programs and stronger worker protections against data collection and surveillance.

Civil Rights and Civil Liberties: The report emphasizes the risks of algorithmic bias, surveillance, and discrimination with AI. It calls for stronger laws to crackdown on deepfakes and regulations to ensure that generative AI systems do not perpetuate systemic inequity or violate civil rights, particularly in sensitive areas such as law enforcement, hiring practices, and financial services.

Consumer Protections: With the increasing use of AI in marketing, advertising, and online commerce, consumers are at risk for fraud, misinformation, and loss of privacy. The task force recommends robust consumer protection laws that ensure transparency and give consumers control of their personal data.

Environment: AI requires significant electricity and water resources to run. The report urges the adoption of energy-efficient AI development practices and additional state investment in e-recycling and renewable energy sources.

Education: Generative AI has the potential to provide personalized learning experiences and help educators with learning plans, but it also will exacerbate inequalities in education access and quality. Recommendations include regulating the use of AI in educational settings to ensure teachers are not replaced by AI and guarantee data privacy protections for students.

Cybersecurity: As AI-generated content becomes more sophisticated, it could be used to create highly convincing phishing attacks, misinformation campaigns, and cyber threats. The report calls for enhanced cybersecurity measures, including regulations that hold companies accountable for securing AI systems.

Public Service Delivery: Generative AI has the potential to streamline and improve access to public services. However, the report highlights the need for transparency and accountability when AI systems are used by government agencies, recommending that governments establish clear guidelines for ethical AI use in public services and establish clear and easy-to-use redress mechanisms for residents to challenge decisions made by AI systems.

The report contains a set of policy recommendations designed to balance the innovative potential of generative AI with the need for strong safeguards for individuals and families. 

Key recommendations include:

• Supporting Workers: Implementing proactive measures to reskill workers, protect labor rights, and mitigate economic displacement caused by AI automation.
• Safeguarding Civil Rights: Cracking down on algorithmic discrimination in hiring, housing, banking, healthcare, and other industries to ensure that AI does not perpetuate and amplify systemic bias and racism.
• Protecting Democracy: Regulating the use of deepfakes in political ads and communications to safeguard against misinformation and inference in our elections.
• Enhancing Privacy and Consumer Rights: Strengthening data protection laws and implementing privacy-first principles in AI applications to safeguard consumers’ rights and data.
• Fostering Sustainable AI Development: Encouraging the development of energy-efficient, low-carbon AI technologies to minimize environmental impacts.

The report is the culmination of months of collaborative research, expert consultations, and public input by a bipartisan task force, consisting of legislators, technology experts, educators and other stakeholders.

“This report is the first step towards a holistic approach to good generative AI governance in Illinois, but the work doesn’t end here,” said Rashid. “We need to continue to monitor and analyze the shifting AI landscape to ensure that Illinois isn’t left behind.”

Rashid will be asking the General Assembly to extend the task force into the future to allow for ongoing monitoring of the effects of AI in Illinois.

Full report can be found at http://bit.ly/3CtDlbC.