California’s SCR 17 (2023 | CA) is the nation’s first artificial intelligence resolution. SCR 17 is California’s “commitment to examining and implementing specified principles related to the use of AI,” It creates an A.I. bill of rights to protect the “rights of the public while leveraging the benefits of AI.”
a.i. leading to financial crisis?
New York Times Dealbook tells us that the SEC Chief thinks artificial intelligence could bring financial crisis. The reason why: “It has to do with this powerful set of economics around scale and networks.” Last month the SEC proposed a rule requiring platforms to eliminate conflicts of interest in their technology.
the pope on artificial intelligence
This week the Pope said artificial intelligence has “disruptive possibilities and ambivalent effects.” Rewind 3 years ago and the Vatican collaborated with Microsoft on ethical standards for artificial intelligence.
Reuters | Pope warns against potential dangers of artificial intelligence
crypto scanning eyeballs
New York Times introduces us to Worldcoin, a crypto project seeking to scan billions of human irises. How do your state laws keep up with this type of biometric information gathering.
open records and CHATGPT
The City of San Jose has warned its employees that the use of ChatGPT is subject to public disclosure.
state adds a chief information technology accessibility officer
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey issued Executive Order 614 created a Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer with the policy goals to establish, adopt, and maintain digital accessibility and equity standards, guidelines, and policies; the development of strategies and platforms to promote best practices for digital accessibility and equity; the development, in consultation with other executive branch offices and agencies, of procurement policies, contractual standards, and other related documents to promote digital accessibility and equity; and the consideration of federal funding opportunities for digital accessibility and equity priorities.
what’s slowing data center growth in the U.S. data center capital?
Access to power and environmental concerns are coming for Northern Virginia’s Data Center Capital title. Data centers have such an impact in Northern Virginia that Loudoun County data center tax revenue is near $600 million a year. That’s ample revenue to cover all the county’s operating expenditures.
Governing | The Data Center Capital of the World Is in Virginia
Texas: the “canary in the crypto mine?”
This headline on an opinion piece in The Hill caught my attention: “Why Texas is the canary in the crypto mine” The authors say Texas has cheap energy, “receptive regulators,” and is home to one of the largest crypto mining hubs in the world. This combination of traits puts Texas on the cutting edge of crypto currency legislation.
call to repeal “right to mine” legislation
Arkansas legislators are calling for a repeal of the recently enacted, HB 1799 (2023 | AR), the “Right to Mine” bill supporting the crypto mining industry. Why the repeal? some say the bill passed too quickly under auspicious circumstances. Others say, “Number one is the energy usage from these crypto mining facilities—they’re tremendous amounts. Right now, we’re already getting warnings that there may be possible brownouts or blackouts,” says State Senator Bryan King (R) of District 28.
ABC 7 | Arkansas senator seeking repeal of controversial new crypto mining law
counties reign in crypto mining
Counties in Arkansas are rushing to pass noise and nuisance regulations for crypto mining before a state law takes effect that limits local regulation of data centers & crypto mining. A state representative had quite a lively experience when he visited a crypto mining facility : “a security guard got out of his car, pulled an AR-15 out of his trunk, and filmed them. Kendrick said this was just one example of bad neighbor-like conduct by crypto operations.”
Arkansas Democrat Gazette | Several Arkansas counties race to pass crypto mining limits