Is There a Future for Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Idaho Government?
Ai generated image
Five years ago, I spent 12-15 hours a month analyzing and simplifying monthly proposed changes in Idaho administrative rules, regulations, and fees in order to make the information understandable for the average citizen. Three other volunteers assisted me to refine the information, spending additional time. Our hope was that citizens would be interested enough to provide feedback to government overreach in their daily lives. We were making progress…
Then, Covid happened and in an attempt to keep up with the tyranny my constituents were facing, my time was better spent helping folks keep their jobs, avoid being forced to vaccinate, and helping them push back on the Governor’s mask mandates, essential employee designations, and business lockdowns.
Well, a lot has changed since 2020 and since then I have been introduced to a new tool, Artificial Intelligence (AI) that may have saved me a lot of time in the past.
AI is defined as the ability of a computer or robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.
The Idaho legislature actually passed legislation this year to address possible misuses of AI use in elections. We also set up a committee to research which Idaho government agencies are currently using AI and for what. As this technology continues to develop, I imagine we will see more of this type legislation in the coming years.
I skeptically decided I would try to use AI as a tool to combat big government and out-of-control bureaucracies and wanted to share my experience:
As an experiment, I prompted AI to help me with that same 12-15 per hour a month task of organizing and simplifying the thousands of pages of rules regulations and fees. And not just for one month’s data, but for the monthly changes made from January to October.
And guess how much time it took me?
3 minutes to find the monthly administrative rules, regulations and fees website
3 minutes to upload the documents for analysis
2 minutes to get the analysis
1 minute to save the document
For less than 10 minutes of my time, I was able to prepare what would have taken possibly 180 hours, or seven and a half (24-hour) days.
Here is a link to the AI generated results of the summary of the rules for you to take a look at. Although it is a very high-level summary, it may spark some interest into digging deeper and commenting on specific rules that will personally affect you. Although it is too late to comment to the governor’s office on many of these administrative rule changes, it is never too late to contact your legislators with concerns. In January, when we are back in session, we will have the opportunity to accept or reject each new proposed rule.
What I have learned from this AI experience is that AI technology can be used for good or evil and is likely here to stay. It appears that AI may be a very valuable research tool easy enough for anyone to use. I remain cautiously optimistic of this new technology and will continue to learn ways to use it to control our out-of-control bureaucracies and make positive changes in Idaho.
In Liberty,
Idaho State Rep. Heather Scott
Thank you for this positive report! Sounds like you've found a truly legitimate use for AI. Grunt work data mining is perfectly suited for machines.
But we could be headed down a slippery slope if AI starts shading results or making decisions best made by humans. Garbage In = Garbage Out. AI's lightning speed could lull us into complacency and cause us to check our brains and critical thinking at the door. It's a huge temptation for me and others to equate speed with accuracy and appropriateness.
Engineers often tell their project managers they can deliver two out of the three below -- but never all three -- and experience over time has shown this to be true:
1. Fast
2. Good
3. Cheap
Based on your result, however, I shall remain ***cautiously optimistic*** that AI can be a valuable tool for analyzing government and other data.
Sadly, we have seen how technology -- especially biomedical and AI technology -- has been used to egregiously harm humanity. For example, throughout the COVID era and well before that, technology in the wrong hands perpetrated massive psy-ops, digital surveillance, coercion, and authoritarian tyranny on the entire world. That includes AI as well as biomedical technology.
I doubt whether "protective" legislation can prevent that harm because technology is such a fast moving target while legislation can be difficult to change, requires purity of intention, and is fraught with unforeseen consequences. We must be careful what we wish for when legislating!
We absolutely must maintain a strong moral compass while using any powerful technology, especially AI. The slip from good to evil can be gradual and go unnoticed, especially when technology is managed by government elites who think they know better than the rest of us how to use it for the "common good." Note: I'm not saying you are a government elite, Heather Scott, not at all ;-)
To paraphrase for modern times John Adams in his letter to the Massachusetts Militia (11 October 1798): "Only a good and moral people can prevent the misuse of AI." He was, of course, referring to the Constitution requiring a moral and religious people, but easily could have been referring to AI had it existed at the time. (Source for original quote: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-3102)