‘AI is like fire’: Washington state launches artificial intelligence task force
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Washington State Attorney General’s office is launching an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to study the best ways to use the tech and its potential harms.
The task force was approved by the state legislature under Senate Bill 5838 in a bipartisan 30-19 vote on Monday after the bill was introduced by state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.
The Artificial Intelligence Task Force will bring together technology experts, industry representatives, labor organizations, and civil liberty groups to discuss the benefits and risks of AI and will make recommendations to the state legislature.
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“AI is becoming a part of our daily lives, and it’s our duty to immediately begin working in a thoughtful way to ensure we protect Washingtonians against this technology’s risks while maximizing its benefits,” Ferguson said. “I appreciate the Legislature’s partnership, and I look forward to launching an inclusive task force that will develop recommendations to guide public policy in this important arena.”
The task force will be made up of a 19-member executive committee and subcommittees as needed.
The executive committee will be responsible for investigating and submitting reports on public policy issues, high-risk uses, racial equity and civil liberty issues, and recommendations for regulations and innovation.
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The task force will meet at least twice per year and must send a report with recommendations to the governor and legislature July 1, 2026.
In a press release announcing the new task force, Ferguson pointed to the rapid development of AI, especially generative AI, which can create text, audio, and images and has “exploded” in popularity.
Ferguson’s office says AI tools, such as ChatGPT, have become some of the fastest-growing consumer internet apps of all time.
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“AI is like fire — it has tremendous potential to do both good and bad,” Sen. Joe Nguyen (D) said. “How we use it and the data we put into it is incredibly important. This task force will be important for learning about the right legislative response to the explosion in AI tools and is a great step forward to smart, effective use of AI for the people of Washington.”
At least 25 states have introduced legislation related to AI – including Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia, which have created task forces or commissions to study AI.
Several governors have also created AI task forces through an executive order — including Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, who launched the Oregon State Government AI Advisory Council in December 2023 to explore how the state can use the technology.
In a recent survey, 79% of respondents in North America said they have had at least some exposure to generative AI, Ferguson said. Forty-one percent of respondents reported using generative AI regularly, and 22% said they use it regularly for work.
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