OLYMPIA, Wash.- Officials representing the United States and Spain signed a joint statement on Feb. 27 expressing concern that Artificial Intelligence software could internalize pre-existing cultural biases.
The statement follows a Jan. 30 executive order signed by Governor Jay Inslee (D) calling upon Washington’s governmental technology services to develop regulations on AI.
The meeting between US and Spanish officials, which was hosted at the Spanish embassy, highlighted that AI technologies can only act upon pre-existing data, which may compound inequality.
“Automated decision-making can occur without human oversight and with algorithms that may reflect or exacerbate biases related to characteristics like gender, race, disability, LGBTQI+ identity, and national origin,” the officials said.
US Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su, whose presidential nomination to serve as the official labor secretary was advanced by a US Senate committee today, represented the US Department of Labor.
Spanish Minister of Labor Yolanda Díaz Pérez, who is also the second vice president, represented the Spanish Ministry of Labor, Migrations and Social Security.
Su and Pérez called upon the international community to establish legal frameworks governing AI which will enhance public trust and prevent human rights violations.
Major institutions in Spokane have already begun considering AI technology implementation, including some medical providers.
While AI technologies quickly evolve, policymakers are working to catch-up with a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
