Kentucky lawmakers discuss how to implement AI for government use

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) – It seems like everyone is talking about artificial intelligence recently, with programs like ChatGPT and Midjourney becoming more popular every day.

Monday, leaders in Frankfort heard from experts on the ways local governments can implement A.I.

The committee heard from members of Gartner, a government consulting firm with a focus on utilizing technology.

The meeting focused on teaching members about A.I. and its ability to expedite daily government tasks, such as handling calls with voters.

“To take a tool like generative A.I., to take some of the pressure off to do it right, to do it well, and to take the pressure off of the teams, that’s a huge use case,” said Alicia Schollaert, client executive for the Americas Public Sector at Gartner.

However, some questions about generative A.I. for government use remain, like who is responsible when it’s wrong?

“You’re a government. You’re an authority. And particularly if you’re using ChatGPT, it will give one answer. If it’s wrong, how’s that blowblack?” said Ben Kaner, senior director analyst with Gartner.

Whether or not the committee decides the further explore using generative A.I. in daily tasks, there was an emphasis on the need to gradually phase it in for the use of constituents and policymakers alike.

“My trepidation and fear is that as it does evolve, that it will become self-learning. That it would develop a personality. And please don’t laugh on the committee, but I watched Mission Impossible last week, and AI took over the nuclear codes,” said Rep. Ryan Dotson, R-Winchester.

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