Artificial Intelligence

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers released a report Wednesday examining data literacy in state government. All state employees must have a “certain minimum level of understanding of data,” it said.

The legislation would create an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to convene technology experts and other stakeholders, and address areas of concern around AI. It’s expected to head to the governor’s desk this week for a signature.

Researchers found that by asking large language models to tweak the wording of prompts to make them more effective, they could get the LLMs to generate more correct answers to math problems.

The closing of the Series C round, with $75 million from BlackRock, could drive further integration of AI into RapidSOS’ products. The company is now one of the “highest-funded businesses” in public safety, an industry observer said.

Sen. Joey Hensley said his legislation allows public K-12 districts and universities to make their own choices regarding if and how artificial intelligence should be used for learning, pending state approval.

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley sees an opportunity in emerging artificial intelligence tools to give students personalized, high-dosage tutoring at far lower expense than well-trained human tutors.

TR Sheehan, a longtime Wyoming executive serving for a second time as interim CIO, is working to understand what citizens need from their government and providing them with technology-based solutions to do just that.

Speakers said AI will be part of many people's jobs, and they stressed the importance of prioritizing AI in the classroom so as not to create a new "digital divide" between students who do and don't know how to use it.

The free app that identifies and tracks individual fish will launch in the spring through tu.org, allowing the national nonprofit to put its members to work helping researchers spot trends in coldwater fish populations.

Elections officials and law enforcement officers are hashing out how to stop the threat by investigating who is behind the source and issuing correct information to the public.

With an executive order Thursday, Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee called for creation of an Artificial Intelligence Task Force and centers of excellence for AI and data. Goals include operational efficiencies and improved service delivery.

CTO Chris Rein discusses the work of adjusting to a fast-evolving tech environment, as well as the progress his state has made on identity access and management, mainframe as a service and data sharing.

Cox Enterprises’ purchase of OpenGov, which valued the company at a landmark $1.8 billion, saw it buy out private equity stakes in the firm. A company executive said it offers “long-term stability” as investments in AI for local government are planned.

Congress must stop dithering on AI and set up a regulatory structure as soon as possible to govern its development and use, and stop leaving it to profit-driven modern tech companies.

Hundreds of UF professors have petitioned university leaders to undo restrictions from a state law that effectively blocks universities from recruiting researchers from seven countries “of concern."

The state's information technology chief executive worries that any legislation crafted now may become obsolete and leave state regulators unable to deal with rapid societal advances brought by AI.

In a year when more than 50 countries are holding national elections, a new study shows the risks posed by the rise of artificial intelligence chatbots in disseminating harmful information to voters.

Early detection is critical to successfully combatting wildfires, and autonomous helicopters fitted with AI technologies could respond quickly to and suppress a fire before it has time to burn out of control.