RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – Gov. Glenn Youngkin wanted artificial intelligence (AI) rules in place “as soon as possible” because state agencies have been using the fast-evolving technology for years, but he’s open to changes, a key member of his administration said.
Youngkin signed an executive order on Jan. 18 implementing policies on how state agencies can use AI, as well as guidelines for its use in K-12 education and postsecondary institutions.
AI use is not new. Virginia’s state agencies use AI to process data, to produce automated decisions, for customer services and for other functions.
But the order from Youngkin comes as the rapidly growing technology — particularly generative AI that uses data to create new content, audio, text and more — gets more attention over potential impacts on services, education and jobs.
Among other rules, the new standards require human oversight of programs used by agencies to ensure “the ethical use of AI” to help address bias concerns, an approval process for AI initiatives and data privacy safeguards.
Andrew Wheeler, Virginia’s director of regulatory management, told 8News that Youngkin was “adamant” about developing the guardrails to address concerns over the technology “as soon as possible” because state agencies are already using AI programs and will continue to do so.
Youngkin wants to encourage AI use by state agencies and in education, Wheeler said in an interview, but in a “thoughtful, protective” way to ensure people’s data is guarded and students are prepared for the “jobs of tomorrow.”
Wheeler said that’s why Youngkin’s order aims to ensure AI technology is not used by an agency before humans review outcomes for bias or unintended consequences, it’s determined to be the proper tool to use, meets all IT requirements and undergoes an approval process.
A main concern in regards to AI is the potential for bias in the technology’s programming and data, with reports pointing to examples of AI bias against women in hiring and Black mortgage applicants.
The Youngkin administration’s new standards also require AI use by state agencies to have a “positive outcome,” such as reducing wait times. It also mandates security tests and controls to allow people to consent to the use of their data.
Youngkin’s order also requires available documentation on AI models used by agencies, disclaimers to the public when generative AI or related capabilities are used in agency decisions and vetting of all third-party AI developers.
Del. Michelle Maldonado (D-Manassas), the founding chair of the Virginia General Assembly’s bipartisan Technology and Innovation Caucus, called Youngkin’s executive order a “great first start” in a phone interview with 8News.
Maldonado noted the current legislative efforts to address AI, including her bill to develop operating standards for AI developers and users to ensure protections from discrimination in AI outcomes, require disclosures by stakeholders and assessments.
On education, Youngkin’s executive order sets guiding principles that focus on teaching “about morality, ethics, honor, cheating, and how artificial intelligence can lead to perverse and destructive outcomes for individuals, relationships, and communities.”
Another major part of the order calls for prioritizing the use of AI to improve student success and learning practices, not replacing teachers in the classroom. Wheeler added that the Youngkin administration believes every profession will be impacted by AI and use the technology as a tool, but he doesn’t predict major shifts in the workforce.
“I don’t see that there’s going to be a massive change in the job markets or the different jobs that people have because of AI, but I think AI can be used to help people perform their jobs more efficiently and effectively,” Wheeler told 8News.
Cayce Myers, a public relations professor and the director of graduate studies at the School of Communication at Virginia Tech, said he believes AI will “fundamentally change” the workforce by phasing out jobs that depend on older technology.
Pointing to how the personal computer eliminated jobs and created new ones, Myers predicted AI will change how people will work in the next 10 to 15 years by freeing people to focus on more complex tasks while the technology handles simpler tasks.
“What the difficulty is that we don’t have a lot of concrete statutes about AI regulation, and we don’t have a lot of concrete federal law in the area,” Myers said, citing the political divisions in Washington and policymakers not wanting to stifle the technology’s growth as the U.S. tries to become a geopolitical power in AI.
“So, right now, what we’re seeing is a lot of speculative, kind-of advisory type regulations. We see a lot of expectation of industry regulation and the industry creating the guardrails instead of the government,” Myers told 8News. “And that I think is something we’ll continue to see.”
Youngkin is also proposing setting aside $600,000 in his new two-year spending plan to launch pilots to evaluate the new standards. Wheeler said the administration plans to launch between three to five pilots to review AI usage in state government.
The executive order creates a task force to look at how the state implements the standards and the pilots. Wheeler told 8News that Youngkin “would be fine amending the standards in a year or two, if we determined that the standards aren’t adequate in one area or another.”
