Summary
- Like AI, AI regulation and laws are still evolving
- So far, artificial intelligence laws and regulations are fairly limited
- As AI gets applied in more areas, legislatures will pass new AI laws
Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging area that most people, including those involved in its development, do not fully appreciate. At its broadest, AI refers to any computer system that uses software to mimic human intelligence.
AI regulations and laws affect developers and users of AI. They also affect the general public as AI is used in new and unexpected ways. For example, just a few years ago, AI-manipulated videos and photos were unheard of. Now they regularly make the rounds on social media platforms.
When you examine how many court cases are filed each year, you find that very few are filed against large companies for their use of AI. Instead, you might find a case or two filed by a class action lawyer for AI privacy breaches. However, AI probably harms consumers in ways no one has yet discovered.
ConsumerShield helps businesses and consumers understand their legal rights. We can also identify a lawyer to guide you through your legal issues. Contact us for a free case evaluation and a lawyer referral.
Areas of AI Regulation
The value and risk of AI come from its ability to improve itself rather than relying on humans to program improvements. AI can process large amounts of data and extrapolate the “best” answer based on feedback from users. It can refine its processes to pick the most effective and efficient way to achieve its goals.
On the one hand, this type of machine learning saves programmers and designers years or even decades of work coding and debugging the system. On the other hand, AI is typically a black box that weighs inputs and makes decisions opaquely. This process can lead to unintended consequences.
Searching for AI regulations and laws is a little like searching for computer regulations and laws. AI, like computers, is a tool that is not necessarily legal or illegal. Instead, legislators tend to pass an AI regulation targeted to a specific use.
Some areas where you will see regulations that apply to AI include:
Videos and Photos
AI can edit or generate images that seem real. These videos are valuable for filmmakers and special effects artists. However, nefarious users can use these manipulated videos and photos to spread lies and manipulate consumers.
Alabama has a law that prohibits “materially deceptive media” to influence elections. This law specifically targets videos made using AI.
Autonomous Vehicles
Most human drivers fail to appreciate how difficult driving is. However, if you think back to when you first learned how to drive, you will probably remember the hours of trial and error required to just drive down the middle of a straight road at a steady speed.
Autonomous vehicles use AI to learn how to drive. While laws against autonomous vehicles do not specifically outlaw the use of AI, they often restrict when vehicles trained using AI can access public roads.
Loans and Insurance Applications
Insurers and financial institutions process millions of applications every year. They have looked to AI for assistance in handling the enormous volume of data they must review.
However, AI appears to deny applications simply because the applicant had a previous application denied. This is particularly problematic in cases when loan processors have denied prior applications because of the applicant’s race. This leads AI to “learn” racism. New York and Illinois have passed laws restricting when insurers can use AI to process insurance applications.
Privacy
Companies like Facebook and Alphabet use your personal information to target ads. However, these AI engines can also use private information in potentially manipulative ways. You can try to recover the average settlement for invasion of privacy in a lawsuit. States have also passed laws that allow you to see what has been collected and restrict its use.
Criminal Uses
Most of the laws targeting the use of AI focus on civil injuries. However, both federal and state laws have also begun looking into punishing criminals for using AI. One example of these laws applies to child pornography. Laws prohibit people from using AI to manipulate pornography to change the depiction of performers so they appear underage.
Future of AI Legislation
AI legislation was introduced in almost every state legislature over the past few years. However, few states have passed these bills. Instead, many states have taken a wait-and-see approach to AI legislation.
On the one hand, this is prudent. No one knows what AI can do or where it may cause problems. Passing legislation could stifle innovation and prevent developers from discovering truly valuable uses for the technology.
Some industry members have argued for a hands-off approach. According to this theory, AI developers should be allowed to build and train AI engines freely without regulation. If their AI causes harm, the victims can hire a litigation lawyer to take the company to court.
On the other hand, waiting too long to regulate the industry may result in irreversible damage. Many products, like asbestos, seemed safe at the time. But like these dangerous products, the use of AI might produce unintended results that cause widespread harm.
Contact ConsumerShield to Learn More About AI Regulation
AI and its regulations affect both businesses and their customers. Importantly, a business does not need to misuse AI to violate the law or harm consumers. Instead, AI applications often produce the intended results but in an unintended way that may be illegal.
ConsumerShield helps consumers and businesses understand their rights and obligations under the law. We can also help find a lawyer to represent your interests. Contact us for a free case evaluation and a referral to an AI lawyer.
