{"id":119962,"date":"2023-06-24T10:49:48","date_gmt":"2023-06-24T14:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=119962"},"modified":"2023-06-24T10:49:48","modified_gmt":"2023-06-24T14:49:48","slug":"getting-ahead-of-ai-why-we-should-act-now-to-manage-an-emerging-tech-threat-op-ed-by-state-reps-bob-merski-and-chris-pielli","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=119962","title":{"rendered":"Getting ahead of AI: Why we should act now to manage an emerging tech threat | Op-Ed By state Reps. Bob Merski and Chris Pielli"},"content":{"rendered":"

By state Reps. Bob Merski and Chris Pielli<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to turn on the news without seeing stories about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence. Rapid advances in AI technology have prompted warnings about both real and speculative threats. In fact, earlier this year, a group of AI researchers, developers and experts penned an open letter warning that AI technologies pose \u201cprofound risks to society and humanity.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the existential threat of an uprising by AI-based robots may seem far-fetched for now, there are other very real dangers \u2013 including the misuse of this technology to mislead and defraud Pennsylvanians \u2013 that we need to address today.<\/p>\n

What is AI?<\/em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence is the ability of computer-based machines to simulate tasks normally associated with the human brain, including language recognition, visual perception, learning and decision-making.<\/p>\n

Although the concept is not new, the technology has grown much more powerful in recent years because of advances like the neural network \u2013 a mathematical system patterned after the neurons in the human brain. Large amounts of data are fed into the system\u2019s processing nodes, along with initial parameters and training, and the system learns by finding statistical patterns in that data.<\/p>\n

Over the past several years, large language models \u2013 neural networks that are trained using huge amounts of text \u2013 have led to systems that are capable of writing stories and carrying on natural-sounding conversations.<\/p>\n

Alexa, Siri, chatbots, and thousands of other systems are powered by AI, from text-to-voice translation and facial recognition programs to vehicle accident-avoidance mechanisms. And it\u2019s anticipated that future AI technology could lead to substantial health advances, like earlier detection and diagnosis of cancer.<\/p>\n

Deepfakes and other threats<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Despite all its promise, AI in the wrong hands \u2013 like any technology \u2013 has the potential to cause great harm, and one major area of concern is the spread of disinformation.<\/p>\n

Pennsylvanians have the right to know if the content they are consuming was created by a human or by AI. That won\u2019t be possible, however, as AI becomes more sophisticated and its interactions more natural sounding.\u00a0That\u2019s especially problematic as more and more people will rely on AI-generated content \u2013 with no guarantees of accuracy \u2013 for medical advice or other important life decisions.<\/p>\n

Beyond the danger of misinformation are more sinister uses, including widescale fraud and the intentional spread of disinformation through fabricated content and images.<\/p>\n

Especially troubling is the proliferation of \u201cdeepfakes\u201d \u2013\u00a0images, videos or audio recordings that have been manipulated to replace a person\u2019s likeness with that of another. As the technology advances \u2013 making it nearly impossible to tell an original from a counterfeit \u2013 so does the potential for malicious use.<\/p>\n

Consider the chaos created by a call digitally manipulated to sound exactly like it is coming from a company\u2019s CFO requesting a transfer of funds, or by the digitally manipulated image of a political leader or trusted expert offering fake information about a public safety issue. Consider the implications if we lose any sense of shared reality about the world.<\/p>\n

Taking control of the situation<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

With so much at stake, we need to put safeguards in place now to protect Pennsylvanians and preserve the integrity of information. As a first step, we are introducing legislation to help Pennsylvania regulate and control this technology so it can be used responsibly.<\/p>\n

Our bills would:<\/strong><\/p>\n