Support Us Button Widget

City of Seattle now has an AI usage policy

The policy applies to all government departments, staff, volunteers, and vendors.

q58IfnozvwWgIogqk4mkyS.jpg

Don’t worry — a giant robot isn’t actually taking over our city. AI generated this image for us.

Image AI generated in Canva

Worried about artificial intelligence (AI) taking over the town? It seems so was the City of Seattle.

Okay, we’re being a little silly, but local government officials have created a new AI policy to help guard against the spread of misinformation, potential bias, privacy, and security in its operations.

The policy includes rules like:

  • No text or other types of media generated by AI will be released to the public without being reviewed by a human first (a process called “Human in the Loop”).
  • Anything produced by an AI program should be attributed as such.
  • City employees must consult the city’s Racial Equity Toolkit to make sure any outputs are free of discrimination.
  • No data protected by the city’s classification guidelines should be inputted into an AI program.

These policies align with President Joe Biden’s executive order that’s intended to help regulate AI within the US government.

More from SEAtoday
Over the next 10 days, we’re launching a reader-driven campaign to sustain what we do best.
Spoiler alert: Traffic isn’t great. We dove into the Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s congestion data so you don’t have to.
Including gifts for significant others, retirees, holiday parties, young people, and gifts that ship fast.
Grab your biggest buckets — these Seattle neighborhoods offer the best treats, no tricks needed.
Here’s the deal — the thrift and vintage shopping scene in Seattle has great finds. These are your must-see stops for a perfect haul.
There’s never been a better time to support locally owned-pharmacies.
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
Reach your local community with our help.
Consider these our Hollywood signs.
We’re highlighting the best kid-friendly activities that Seattle has to offer — complete with art classes, animal encounters, and outdoor fun.