While the challenges of closing the digital divide are vast and complex, one telecommunications expert told Capitol Hill lawmakers this week that artificial intelligence (AI) can be leveraged to expand broadband services to every corner of the nation.

An AI industry expert called on Congress this week to pass comprehensive Federal legislation that covers a wide range of risks associated with the emerging technology, arguing that state and local government action to create AI-related laws will only stifle innovation.

New York City (NYC) has released its “first-of-its-kind plan” to utilize AI for government operations across different government agencies and offices to help streamline operations for essential programs.

With a new executive order (EO), New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has created an Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which is tasked with studying emerging AI technologies. The governor’s office noted that the task force will be responsible for analyzing the potential impacts of AI on society as well as preparing recommendations to identify government actions encouraging the ethical use of AI technologies.

A recent survey found that organizations victimized by ransomware attacks are increasingly deciding to pay the ransom demand to regain access to their systems and data. Those same organizations also are concerned that generative AI could enhance future attacks.

A new survey from the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) found that teachers and students remain concerned that technology used in schools is threatening their privacy and civil rights.

Boston University (BU) announced that it has formed an AI Task Force that will asses both the benefits and drawbacks of generative artificial intelligence, as well as define pathways for the use of the technology on campus.

As artificial intelligence (AI) technology is seeing an explosion in interest and use cases in government, the governors of Pennsylvania and Virginia last week issued executive orders that aim to create baselines of policy for development of generative AI applications.

With wildfire season underway, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is turning to advanced AI technology to gain actionable intelligence to attack wildfires.

The Kansas state government, under the direction of Gov. Laura Kelly, will adopt a new generative AI policy. The policy, created by the Kansas Office of Information Technology Services (OITS), outlines how Kansas can responsibly embrace and use the technology while also protecting the state.