Wasatch County Sets Guardrails for AI Use with New Policy

In an effort to help staff stay on top of the rapidly changing landscape of artificial intelligence, Wasatch County has adopted a new policy governing its use. The county’s information technology director, Don Wood, emphasized that the guiding principles behind this policy are multifaceted.

On one hand, the policy encourages employees to learn and explore approved AI tools that meet government privacy standards – as long as the county has a subscription to these data analysis tools. Staff must also disclose how they’re using AI in their work.

However, when it comes to free tools and programs that store data outside of the U.S., Wasatch County will avoid them altogether. This is partly due to concerns about public records rules and other privacy issues.

‘We need to keep those things in mind,’ Wood said. ‘It’s not just a matter of using AI, but also making sure we’re doing it responsibly.’

The policy places responsibility on employees to ensure that the data used by AI tools is free from bias or inaccuracies – what are known as hallucinations. If there are biases present in the data, it will be up to humans to account for them.

To help staff use these AI tools responsibly, regular training sessions will be provided. This comprehensive approach aims to balance the benefits of using AI with concerns about accountability and fairness.

The Wasatch County council unanimously approved this policy on Wednesday, July 15.