Kentucky

These days, the Internet is rife with AI-generated images of fake celebrity endorsements and Facebook-spawned misinformation accusing immigrants in an Ohio town of eating their neighbors’ pets.

Plus, a K-12 digital equity framework gets released, Kentucky launches a new broadband portal, two additional states get their BEAD funding proposals approved, and more.

A new AI-powered tool called JusticeText — exclusive to public defenders — has emerged, offering a boost in analyzing case evidence efficiently to level the playing field and ensure fair defense.

Effective this month, new legislation will allow for self-driving cars to hit Kentucky roads and be regulated by state government, but some say it will be a while before people see the vehicles in public.

Owensboro, Ky., elected officials were largely in agreement with decisions by the city’s police and fire departments to stop broadcasting radio transmissions over publicly accessible radio channels.

State Sen. Adrienne Southworth said schools should balance teacher-student interaction with digital instruction. Her bill also calls for regulation of third-party ed-tech tools that access student data.

State Sen. Reginald Thomas sponsored a bill that would assign the Kentucky Department of Education to set guidelines for AI use in schools, monitor its impact, and train teachers, administrators and school board members.

In Kentucky courts, the video recording is the official record with no written transcript. CIO Charles Byers discusses what led to this approach and the features vital to meeting the court's needs.

U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers announced a $30.7 million grant to expand broadband services across the most rural parts of the state. Rogers said the infrastructure is a necessary part of building Kentucky’s answer to Silicon Valley.

Some $386 million in state funding is set to be distributed to counties throughout the state to expand Internet service. The governor has awarded 56 grants totaling more than $196 million from the Broadband Deployment Fund so far.

Campton Elementary in Wolfe County became Kentucky's first school to transport students by electric bus. Nine other districts will get new energy-efficient buses in the months ahead as part of an EPA grant program.

The rise of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology is prompting a legislative response in the Bluegrass State. Lawmakers there have introduced a bill aimed at stiffening penalties for misuse of the technologies.

The university is bringing together experts in computer science, bioinformatics, pharmacy, medicine, philosophy, communication and other disciplines to make recommendations on the use of AI-driven ed-tech tools.

The Lexington Police Department has used body cameras since 2016, and all the department’s sworn officers are now required to use them when they interact with the public.

The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act aims to prevent malicious hacking but has long been accused of being overly broad and vague. Some states’ anti-hacking laws are tighter, but confusions can remain.

Several state webpages were intermittently unavailable yesterday, and colorado.gov remains down. Killnet, a politically motivated, pro-Russia hacking group, has claimed credit for the disruptions.

The private university will host the annual Kentucky Cybersecurity and Forensics Conference this November, at which attendees will be able to network and hear strategies to protect their Internet and communications.

The abortion rights hacktivist group SiegedSec is claiming responsibility for hacks against Arkansas and Kentucky state governments. The states say the leaked information does not appear to be sensitive in nature.