States have taken various actions to advance AI, from establishing AI leadership positions to implementing governance. A good number have already stood up AI task forces of their own, including Alabama, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Washington.
Virginia’s AI Task Force was created by way of Executive Order 30 (EO 30), signed Jan. 18. The order created AI education guidelines for the classroom, implemented AI policy standards, and called for the secretary of administration to work with the director of the Office of Regulatory Management to establish such a task force. The group’s formation delivers on this order.
The task force members represent state educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and private corporations, each of whom will advise policymakers and state agencies to support the safe, responsible and cost-effective adoption of AI. The group will meet twice a year.
The following individuals make up the state’s task force: John Bailey, founder of Vestigo Partners; Bill Cleveland, former vice mayor of Alexandria, Va.; Richard Culatta, CEO of the International Society for Technology in Education; Zach Graves, executive director of the Foundation for American Innovation; Sam Hammond, senior economist of the Foundation for American Innovation; Tim Hwang, senior technology fellow at the Institute for Progress; Jamil Jaffer, professor at Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University; Lori Jennings, founder of Jennings ProSearch; Paige Kowalski, executive vice president at the Data Quality Campaign; and Naren Ramakrishnan, professor at Virginia Tech. More members may be added.
The group will provide feedback on the policy standards, IT standards and education guidelines outlined in EO 30. Members will give input on current and future AI use cases at the state agency level. They’ll also advise on AI-related legislation, pilot programs and other AI developments across levels of government.
“The AI Task Force will help ensure that Virginia is taking advantage of the extraordinary opportunities associated with the new technology while maintaining sensible guardrails that promote fairness and safety,” Director of the Office of Regulatory Management Reeve Bull said in a statement.
