June 16, 2023
At Silicon Slopes Artificial Intelligence Summit this week, Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes offered his legal and technology expertise to a tech-savvy audience. He addressed the complex dynamics of the rapidly developing AI technology from his professional experience working within the tech sector and his legal expertise navigating the complexities of his capacity as the state’s attorney general.
“AI can be a great force for good. It also has terrible potential for creating chaos and destruction,” AG Reyes said. “We need the technology industry to continue to find ways to mitigate the downside and maximize the upside of AI.”
To do that, AG Reyes called on the government to partner with the tech industry and create balanced and responsible AI regulations and enforcement. He turned to Greek mythology to illustrate his points by citing the story of the god of fire, Prometheus, who passed the secret of knowledge to humanity. Prometheus was chained to a rock and tortured as punishment.
Likewise, Reyes said lawmakers might undermine the good intentions of tech by passing laws that don’t keep up with innovation.
“We need you, (those) who are experts and industry proponents to actively engage in educating legislators and policymakers,” AG Reyes said. “So, we don’t treat AI innovators like Prometheus, strapped to a rock. So, we don’t kill the fire of AI, but rather harness it to build and protect, rather than devour and destroy.”
