Yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis put forward a plan aimed at reigning in the powers and potential overreach of artificial intelligence (AI). His proposed legislation includes the establishment of an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights to safeguard citizens' privacy and security. According to a statement obtained by flgov.com, DeSantis highlighted the importance of defining and protecting the rights of Floridians in the age of AI, “Our AI proposal will establish an Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights to define and safeguard Floridians’ rights—including data privacy, parental controls, consumer protections, and restrictions on AI use of an individual’s name, image or likeness without consent.”
The comprehensive proposal outlines several consumer protections. These include reenacting existing legislation against the misuse of deep fakes and explicit content, especially that depicting minors. The proposal takes a stance against the use of Chinese-developed AI tools by state or local government agencies. It also seeks to put a stop to any AI using an individual’s Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) without their consent, tying it to harm or the sale of a product. Another significant tenant of the bill mandates consumer notification when engaging with AI, such as with company chatbots.
Among the protective measures, the bill aims to provide are the prohibition of AI in the realm of "licensed" therapy or mental health services and the offer of parental controls for minors that will enable parents to monitor and limit their child's interactions with AI platforms - notably, if a child exhibits concerning behavior. Governor DeSantis's proposal also insists on keeping data inputted to AI secure and private, with clear restrictions placed on the sale or sharing of personal identifying information, according to the same press release.
Regarding AI Data Centers, DeSantis's proposal seeks to prevent consumers from being burdened with costs for their development. This includes protections from increased charges on utilities and taxpayer subsidies for Big Tech. Furthermore, it bolsters local government's power to decide against the construction of these centers, especially in the interest of Florida's water resources and natural environment. Measures such as preventing the construction or operation of data centers by foreign principals, or on agriculturally classified lands, and requiring noise abatement reviews have been suggested to preserve the state's natural spaces.
