Artificial Intelligence Registry Proposed In PA To 'Minimize Risk'

HARRISBURG, PA — New legislation will soon be proposed in Pennsylvania that would attempt to regulate the rapidly, and some say dangerously, growing presence of artifical intelligence.

State lawmakers are wary of AI technology being used to impersonate humans, often by mimicking a voice after hearing it once. This could then be used to trick often-victimized populations, like senior citizens, through phone scams.

"There is no doubt we are living in a ‘brave new world’ filled with futuristic technology about which we have previously only dreamed," State Rep. Robert W. Mercuri wrote in a co-sponsorship memorandum.

The proposed bill would create a state registry of all businesses that create software, or who have the intention to create software, that has artificial intelligence components. The bill is concerned with machine learning, which utilizes algorithmic logic that improves over time.

The registry would include basic information like the name of the company, the physical address of the company, the IP address, type of code being used, and the intent of the software, Mercuri said.

"Establishing this AI Registry will enable law enforcement and Pennsylvania citizens to know and respond should anything nefarious occur," Mercuri added.

It's still unclear what level of support the measure may have in the General Assembly.

AI technologies are growing in every sphere, and coming under increased scrutinty at a legal and existential level. Eight years ago, Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk famously said that "we are summoning the demon with AI." Musk previewed his company's Tesla Bot over the weekend.