The bill, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, would mandate that the department create guidance with an emphasis on “human-centered oversight, transparency, safety, and data security.” The framework would focus on responsible use of AI for students, instructional integration and academic integrity. School districts would also have to develop their own AI policies for how students and teachers can use the technology at school and on school devices.
The bill is intended to be proactive about AI, which is growing more widespread in classrooms nationwide.
“It’s not this big, scary science-fiction thing, or robots or machines that are going to come after you or take away your jobs, or anything like that,” Cook told committee members this week. “It’s a tool. It’s a tool to enhance the human life.”
Cook emphasized that AI does not think.
“It does not have any values,” he said. “It is not alive. It does not replace human judgment.”
The State Department of Education would also need to generate and recommend AI literacy standards for K-12 students, assessment guidelines to evaluate understanding and a professional development plan on AI.
The bill would not mandate the use of AI or the collection of data, and it leaves much of the control with local school districts, Cook said. He acknowledged that people have heard “horror stories” about AI and said it’s important to educate kids about it in an age-appropriate way.
“The bottom line: AI is here. It is not coming. It is here,” Cook said. “And our kids, and pretty much our teachers, are using that. This bill is to get out in front of that, to set some guidelines around it so that we can use it and we can use it responsible.”
During the hearing, lawmakers asked questions about when kids should start learning about AI and what kind of rights parents would have.
Several people testified in support of the bill, echoing Cook’s statements that it’s important to get ahead of the issue and set guidelines. They also said learning about AI would make Idaho students better prepared to enter a workforce where it may be expected that they’re familiar with it.
In recent years, teachers and students have been adopting the use of AI across the country. Several recent national studies have found that most students report using AI, but the rapidly growing technology has come with some concerns over how students are using it and the impact it has on human connections.
Lawmakers in the House Education committee voted to move the bill forward.
TRUMP BLOCKED 'ONEROUS' AI LAWS
The bill comes after President Donald Trump last year signed an executive order to block “onerous” AI laws in states across the country, according to previous Statesman reporting. States that violate that order could be sued or have their federal funding withheld.
Idaho has already passed laws regulating AI use in the state. Last year, lawmakers approved AI-related bills on political deep-fakes and material that sexually exploits children.
Lawmakers have said there could be more AI-related legislation coming that would emphasize human involvement and seek to protect children and adults, the Statesman reported.
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