The Connecticut Senate made a significant move on Wednesday by passing a groundbreaking bill aimed at regulating bias in artificial intelligence decision-making and protecting individuals from harm, including the spread of deepfakes. Despite concerns about potential negative impacts on innovation and small businesses, the bill passed with a vote of 24-12 after a lengthy debate. This legislation is the result of two years of task force meetings in Connecticut and collaboration among bipartisan legislators from multiple states who are seeking to establish consistent regulations in the absence of federal action.

Democratic Sen. James Maroney, the key author of the bill, emphasized the importance of this legislation not only for Connecticut but also for the entire country. He highlighted the extensive collaboration with industry, academia, and advocates to create regulations for safe and trustworthy AI. However, Senate Minority Leader Stephen Harding expressed reservations about rushing the vote on such a complex piece of legislation, warning of potential unintended consequences that could harm businesses and residents.

Governor Ned Lamont, a former cable TV entrepreneur, also raised concerns about the bill potentially hindering innovation in the emerging AI industry. Despite these reservations, the bill includes important protections for consumers, tenants, and employees to address risks of AI discrimination based on protected classes. It also criminalizes the dissemination of deepfake pornography and deceptive AI-generated media in political campaigns, while requiring transparency measures such as digital watermarks on AI-generated images.

In addition, the legislation establishes an online AI Academy for Connecticut residents to receive AI education and ensures that AI training is integrated into state workforce development initiatives. Advocates have called for even stronger consumer protections, including more extensive disclosure requirements for companies using AI to make decisions about individuals.

The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for further consideration, marking a significant step forward in the regulation of AI technology in Connecticut and potentially setting a precedent for other states across the country.