Douglas County Administration Approves Artificial Intelligence Use Policy

The Douglas County Board of Supervisors in Wisconsin has officially adopted a new policy to guide the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence for all elected and appointed officials and employees.

Background of the New Policy

The Douglas County Board of Supervisors approved and enacted a new policy on August 20th in order to embrace the wave of artificial intelligence in local governments.

Concerns of Officials and Objectives

Supervisor Anders Hultstrom warned regarding the policy, stating that generative artificial intelligence and large language models are not flawless tools and are prone to errors and hallucinations.

Administrator Dave Sletten stated that the purpose of the policy is not to replace human judgment, but to enrich ideas and safely optimize workloads.

Implementation Principles and Restrictions

Developed drawing inspiration from the Bayfield County model, the policy mandates attention to security, privacy, and accuracy, as well as taking training in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.

Under the policy, employees will only be able to use licensed tools, will not be allowed to utilize artificial intelligence for sensitive or confidential information, and must disclose the use of artificial intelligence.

Risk Assessment from the Administration

County Board Chair Mark Liebaert and Information Technology Director Dan Lindberg emphasized the importance of this policy in terms of managing risks and providing appropriate guidance.