Montgomery County to Form AI Council

Montgomery County commissioners are seeking applicants for an advisory council focused on artificial intelligence. According to Neil Makhija, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, the council aims to ensure AI is used for the “public good.”

Makhija stated that AI is already in use within the county. He explained that AI technology is used for facial recognition to identify perpetrators in crime videos, including serious violent crimes like murder.

Makhija wants the advisory council to promote responsible and ethical technology deployment, given the rapid advancement of AI. The council will consist of up to 15 members. As of Friday, 70 applications had been received.

“Across the board, we’re hoping to have experts who are willing to dive into all of the different issues from infrastructure, human services, election administration, the courts, the criminal justice system,” he said. “It’s really a broad call for anyone who thinks they have something they can provide to better advise the county. I think what’s really helpful is people who had strong careers in operations or deployment of technology but also those who are thinking ahead and want to find a way for us to innovate and lead on this.”

Andrew Abramson mentioned that while his family uses ChatGPT, he is new to AI. He recently downloaded the app Grok. He said he initially dismissed it, but after seeing how helpful it was for his wife and son, he decided to try it and found it made his life easier.

His wife, Stacy, expressed concerns about the potential reach of AI. She mentioned worries about deep fake videos becoming so realistic that younger generations might accept them as fact without fact-checking.

Prof. Anat Lior, an assistant professor of law at Drexel University who has been studying AI, stated that new technologies have both risks and rewards. Lior noted that AI is becoming more integrated into our lives than previous technologies.

Lior said that while there are small-scale risks and overhyped “Terminator” scenarios, the focus should be on issues like privacy violation and emotional harm. She cited instances where conversations with AI led to self-harm among teenagers and vulnerable individuals, resulting in lawsuits. She also mentioned bias and discrimination in algorithms that make decisions using unwanted proxies like age, race, or gender, without transparency.

Lior supports the creation of an advisory council with diverse expertise. “This [AI] is changing everything. Our models, the way we think, study, academia,” she said.

Applications are due Saturday, May 31. More information is available at www.montgomerycountypa.gov/AICouncil.