WASHINGTON STATE — Lawmakers are engaging in discussions during the 2026 legislative session about the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in daily activities. The focus is on establishing guidelines for AI usage, a topic that transcends political lines, as most agree on the necessity of structured implementation.
A Senate bill aims to set boundaries on how automated decision systems and surveillance technologies are used in public schools. The bill would establish statewide limits on AI-driven tools, highlighting that AI systems should be able to inform decisions, but should not replace human judgment.
The proposed legislation seeks to ban the use of AI as the sole basis for student discipline, referrals to law enforcement, placement in alternative education settings, creation of student ‘risk scores’ or the use of biometric data such as facial recognition.
One perspective shared during discussions emphasized the risks of automated systems in schools.
“We’re seeing more automated systems used in schools with attempts to keep students safe or to predict student behavior, to assign risk scores, to increase surveillance without transparency or context or meaningful human judgment,” Senator T’wina Nobles said.
Senator Nobles also highlighted a scenario where AI misidentified a bag of Doritos as a weapon, expressing that as a parent, such an error would be “tremendously terrifying” and “extremely frustrating.”
This bill is part of a broader legislative effort to address various AI concerns. Other bills focus on AI chatbots, deepfakes and AI’s influence on decisions regarding employment, housing and healthcare.
