Maine taps brakes on ChatGPT use | StateScoop

…An outright ban — even one for just six months — may not be as logical, though, said Brandon Pugh, the director of cybersecurity and emerging threats at the R Street Institute, a free-market think tank. Pugh said that while he understands why government leaders have concerns around data privacy or bias, he’s “naturally skeptical” of Maine’s move.

“I’m not saying there aren’t cyber issues, privacy issues to work through,” he said. “I would question how much is going to be different in six months. There are areas to work through. I don’t think we should let the fears win.”

Pugh also noted that reputable frameworks for AI already exist, including one from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. That agency last week also launched a new working group devoted to building rules and benchmarks for the latest generation of artificial intelligence tools.

“We need a lot of super-smart people working on this,” Pugh said. “On the privacy side there’s concern around what data’s being shared with it. Ultimately AI is all about data. That’s where the effective use of policy comes into play. Perhaps you don’t share private info on citizens with generative AI. But if you’re using it to make your job more productive, it could be beneficial with guardrails.”

The MaineIT spokesperson did not say if any state agencies there have started tinkering with generative AI software. Pugh noted that even with all the clamoring around ChatGPT, generative AI isn’t a brand-new technology — and that there is a body of work officials can turn to.

“This isn’t the Wild West,” he said. “We do have frameworks. NIST is just one example.”