Conversations about artificial intelligence continued at the Iowa Legislature this year with one bill making it to the governor’s desk, said Mollie Ross, vice president of operations and government affairs at the Technology Association of Iowa.
Ross said she is “incredibly proud” of the bill that passed this year, which protects minors from potential harms of conversational AI services or chatbots.
TAI, which represents technology companies across the state, has been focused on bringing education and conversations around AI to lawmakers and business leaders. In February, it held an AI public policy forum and the association launched a new AI subcommittee, which was instrumental in reviewing and making recommendations on the AI legislation passed this session, Ross said. About 25 people currently serve on the subcommittee, she said.
Ross recently sat down with the Business Record to discuss a recap of the session, AI policy and what’s ahead. Her responses have been edited and condensed for clarity and length.
Could you overview some of the important legislation for AI that happened this year?
The one we spent the most amount of time on, Senate File 2417, on conversational AI … was elevated as a priority, coming initially from [the] behavioral health association and a number of healthcare groups [and] became a priority for a number of lawmakers, and so we engaged very early on. For a number of reasons, just incredibly proud of that piece of legislation. For one, when we talk about AI policy, my recommendation is always to take a targeted approach, find real risks or potential harms … and that to me [is] a shining example of doing exactly that. There was a real identified potential risk for individuals or minors, and it was a really collaborative effort from the very beginning, the technology side and the healthcare side working through the risk, what could be done to limit that risk, and also trying to limit any potential unintended consequences, like to businesses and daily functions that we use. One of the subcommittees talked about, ‘We don’t want to limit your ability to rebook your flight on Delta when you’re stuck in O’Hare.’ How do we differentiate your typical scheduling apps or customer service bots that companies use all day, every day, and separate those out from these conversational tools that could potentially introduce harms. … It was a priority for a number of groups throughout session. … I think it’s a big win, both for the healthcare side and the technology side, and just overall the collaborative effort that went into that from all the parties and stakeholders involved, as well as the legislators.
What other discussions about AI were at the statehouse this year?
There was a bill proposed that we refer to as the AI ownership bill that talks about who owns outputs created by AI, and while certainly there’s concerns for especially creators or people in the creative industries and creative arts, a lot of that is already settled law under federal copyright law and other established rules, and that’s really an interesting point of conversation. We talk about AI legislation across the board. One thing that we always try to take [is] a thoughtful approach. Is this already covered by standing law – or something, elsewhere, whether state or federally. [We] don’t want to write something new that contradicts standing ground. We had a lot of conversations. That one didn’t move this session.
It seems like AI was a hot topic this session.
It was a really hot topic, and I think you know anything about the number of conversations that are had, a lot of new laws are passed this year. There’s a lot of conversation. There’s always a lot of bills that don’t get passed, but I think when we think about the most meaningful – really proud of that chatbot one being the one that made it across the line. Some others that are not bad ideas, but child safety and human safety is an important focus.
The AI legislative forum you put on – what came of that and what was the result?
It’s a really good conversation. We appreciate everyone’s participation, both from the panelists and from those that showed up, the lawmakers that showed up. Part of the goal with that conversation was to continue to talk about AI regulation, and kind of level set, or put into context how companies across the state are already [using] AI. AI definitions can get tricky, and can be a very broad term used for a lot of different tools.
Part of it was making it real for our lawmakers, who may not be in that business … may not [use] technology all day, every day, like many of our members are, so making that connection for them about the impacts that AI is already having in Iowa companies, and for Iowa employers, and the benefits they’re already providing. And connecting our members through those lawmakers as well. We have a lot of really, really smart and really generous members who want to be a resource for their elected officials, where we can make those connections to invite them into their business and … to talk to them about impacts for their employees, and how they see the benefit of providing it across organizations is really impactful.
There’s an element of just normalizing it. Almost humanizing it. I think sometimes a lot of conversation about AI can be focused on Big Tech or some of the coastal cities, but as we have said for years at TAI, we believe every company’s a technology company. [They] are all deploying AI tools in some way. And for a lot of people, making the work better. Taking away some of those menial tasks, so humans can do the more engaging work. Those are stories we want to tell, and we want to make sure our lawmakers are aware of, and it’s not just a select group of companies that are benefiting, but truly … employees across the state.
Are you planning on doing more events like that for the session next year?
I think so. I imagine we will host a similar event in the kickoff of session. … I think AI will continue to be a hot topic of conversations. We want to continue to be that resource and that point of truth for AI in Iowa.
Have you seen any examples of missteps in state-level AI policies to be aware of?
Colorado passed their own AI legislation, I think a couple of years ago now, and they have been the example of bad policy. The governor, the day he signed the bill, said this was a bad bill, and yet moved forward. I think that’s a fair example. And they’ve spent the last two years, including special sessions in the interim, trying to find a fix for that bill. It was a really broad-reaching, heavy compliance-enforcing bill that had a lot of impacts, I think, not only for what you would typically think of as tech companies, but for everyday companies across Colorado. … They did just pass a new bill a couple months ago, maybe that made some corrections in that first one. When I talk about being proud of the approach that Iowa was taking thus far, and … taking the time to get it right and taking your targeted approach, this is why — [we] really don’t want to be spending time and energy and taxpayer dollars trying to fix mistakes.
What discussions are bubbling about AI, and what do you get ready for?
I really wish I had a crystal ball, so that I could prepare appropriately. … I’m sure the conversations around AI will continue. Some conversations around elections may continue, or may come back. … I can tell you one of the bills that we worked on last year, and hope will continue, at least continuing the conversation, was a bill about making computer science an AI graduation requirement in Iowa schools. It’s been an effort to get computer science for years. They involved AI this year. The bill this year [added] AI, and I think that’s really important, not only so that Iowa students will have the tools to utilize these technologies, but also just to ensure that Iowa students are graduating with the ability to be smart consumers of technology, like it’s everywhere … so giving them the tools to engage in a smart, responsible way, so I hope that that will come back, and maybe we’ll have a better shot next year.
Is there any state that’s a model to look to on AI legislation and policymaking?
Honestly, Iowa is doing a really good job in the sense that, like I mentioned, that targeted approach to really focusing on real or potential risks instead of trying to take that broad brush. … I have been really encouraged and proud of our lawmakers and taking the time to get it right. I hope that we will continue those efforts into the next session.
When do TAI’s next legislative priorities come out?
It will be announced or shared in the fall. We have our policy committee that meets throughout the summer to review this past session and talk about were [there] things that we missed, things that we want, things we want to do, continue to work on that help really form those priorities going into the session.
How can people get involved?
Those committees in particular are open to any member of TAI.