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Artificial Intelligence in Vermont

Vermont's Approach to AI

The State of Vermont has two bodies that work collaboratively on Artificial Intelligence Oversight and Enablement, created pursuant to 2022 Act 132. The Council on Artificial Intelligence is a diverse group of leaders from across Vermont that provide direction and oversight on the use of Artificial Intelligence in Vermont from their unique perspectives. The Division of Artificial Intelligence within the Agency of Digital Services operationalizes their guidance and provides an AI Center for Enablement for the State of Vermont.

The State of Vermont seeks to enable the use of AI systems within State Government to improve quality of services the State delivers to Vermonters and to enable the State of Vermont to continue to be a leader in the thoughtful application of AI technologies in government....  Artificial Intelligence Systems should be used in a human-centered way that recognizes the dignity and value of all persons and their contributions to society. AI Systems must always be used in ways that comply with State and Federal Laws and maintain the rights of persons as enshrined in those laws. - Code of Ethics

The Director of the Division of Artificial Intelligence is Josiah Raiche, josiah.raiche@vermont.gov. Josiah has been with the State of Vermont since 2016, and served as a Developer, Special Projects Lead, and Director of Quality Management prior to taking on his role as the first AI Director.

Key documents

Inventory of Automated Decision Systems Updated for 2024, Original report.

Code of Ethics

NEW 2024 AI Council Report on AI Use & Data Management

Guidelines for State Employee Use of Generative AI

Final Report of the AI Task Force (2020, resulted in the creation of the Council and Division)

Meetings of the Council on Artificial Intelligence

Regularly scheduled meetings are held on the first Friday of each month at 2PM. 

Agenda for 3/1/2024: Review of AI focused bills currently before the legislature.

Location: Virtual.

Dial In (audio only): 802-828-7228

Conference ID: 789 510 438

Microsoft Teams Online option (audio and video)

Council Members

  • Co-chair Xusana Davis, Executive Director of Racial Equity, Representing the Vermont Division of Racial Equity
  • Co-chair Mark Combs, State Chief Technology Officer, Representing the Vermont Agency of Digital Services
  • Jessica Vintinner, Representative from the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development
  • Jennifer Morrison, Representative from the Vermont Department of Public Safety
  • Joe Near, UVM. Representative of the American Civil Liberties Union of Vermont
  • John Dooley, expert in constitutional and legal rights, representing the Supreme Court
  • Philip Susmann, Norwich University, appointed by the Governor
  • John Cohn, academic at a postsecondary institute appointed by the Vermont Academy of Science and Engineering
  • Amanda Jones, Representative of the Department of Health
  • Chris Curtis, Representative of the Attorney General

 

Prior Meeting Agendas and Recordings

Agenda for 2/9/2024 Special Session:

  • Recommendation to Legislature on Deepfakes

Agenda for 2/2/2024 meeting:

  • Brief retrospective on work in 2023
  • Updates on AI Inventory
  • AI News and Updates from the Council
  • Thoughts on need for a Deepfake statute (potentially consider expanding 13 V.S.A. § 2001 or similar)
  • Updates on AI Work in Other States 
  • Public Comment

Agenda for 1/12/2024 meeting (Recording):

  • Continued work on legislative report

Agenda for 1/5/2024 meeting (Recording):

  • General Updates
  • Continued work on legislative report

Agenda for 12/15/2023 special session (Recording):

  • Continued work on legislative report

Agenda for 12/1/2023 meeting (Recording):

  • General Updates
  • Continued work on legislative report

Agenda for 11/3/2023 meeting:

  • General Updates
  • Legislative Report
    • Outline of what is to be included in the report
    • Any additions we want to make to the outline
    • Drill into our recommendations on how and when an automated decision system will be deployed or used and by whom

Agenda for 10/6/2023 meeting (Recording):

  • Recommendation for Generative AI acceptable use, declared use, and proforma language 
    • Language suggestion:

      This content was [drafted, edited, translated] with the assistance of a generative artificial intelligence, [Bard, ChatGPT, LLaMA]. The content has been reviewed and verified to be accurate and complete, and represents the intent of [office, department, the State, or a person's name].

      Alternative for translations in emergency situations, available alongside the content in the language of the content:

      This content was translated with the assistance of a generative artificial intelligence [Google Translate, Azure AI]. The content has NOT YET been reviewed and verified but will be by [date within 24 hours]. This notice will be updated once the review is complete. For any questions about this content or to report confusing or conflicting text, please contact [office-email@vermont.gov].

 

Agenda for 8/29/2023 Meeting (Recording):

  • Updates on Artificial Intelligence and Usage within the State
  • Adopt the Code of Ethics
  • Recommended approach to Data Privacy and AI
  • Employee Use of Large Language Models
  • Set a recurring meeting schedule
  • Decide on approach to this year's deliverable: 
    • Recommendations for a clear use and data management policy for State Government, defining acceptable use of AI systems and implementation protocols
    • Labeling rules
    • Explainability
  • Public Comment Period

Teams Etiquette for Members of the Public in Attendance

Members of the public are welcome to attend all or portions of each meeting.

Please enter the meeting on mute with your video turned off. Members of the public are asked to only unmute/enable video if they are submitting public comment or otherwise presenting.

Public comment will be taken at the end of each meeting. Members of the public will not be able to unmute/enable camera until this portion of the meeting.

Please speak in a concise and clear manner so that everyone can hear what you are saying.

For those calling in by phone:

  • Press *6 on your phone to unmute and mute your phone.
  • Please state your name for the record when commenting.
  • During the public comment period, the coordinator will call on those who asked to comment by the last four digits of the phone number and name.
     

For those who are signed into TEAMS:

  • Use the raise hand option when it is time for comments.
  • If you are having technical issues, please do not interrupt the meeting. The most common are volume issues or the audio breaking up. Please check your own volume and adjust or wait a couple minutes to see if things improve. Leaving and re-entering the meeting may also help.
  • Unless you are speaking, please keep video off to enhance the audio quality for all.
  • Closed Captioning: Automatic captioning is available for those who need it when using Teams. To enable:
    • Join the Teams meeting as you usually would.
    • Once in the meeting, click the button with the three dots at the top of your screen (in the bar with the mute and camera buttons).
    • Click "turn on live captions."
    • Captions should automatically appear. PLEASE NOTE: These are automatically generated captions, and may contain inaccuracies.