TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) – Florida lawmakers are preparing new restrictions on artificial intelligence in classrooms as the technology spreads through the state’s education system.
State Representative Alex Rizzo, R-Hialeah, plans to address AI regulations during the upcoming legislative session, focusing on protecting teachers from being replaced by technology.
“We want to make sure teachers and educators are in charge,” Rizzo said. “They are the ones that put in the provisions so to speak, the guardrails, within each district.”
The Florida Education Association supports the legislative action and wants educators involved in creating AI policies.
“There needs to be guardrails as to where do we allow AI to fit into the education program,” said Andrew Spar, Florida Education Association president.
Spar said the technology presents risks that require careful oversight.
“There are also a lot of pitfalls, and that’s why we need to have common sense guardrails to ensure that AI is used in an appropriate and effective manner and not in a harmful way,” Spar said.
Spar said he wants to see a task force created to address AI in schools.
“I think there should be a blue ribbon task force convened in the state of Florida, made up of educators, made up of leaders in the space of AI, made up of the companies that are running AI, to talk about what we should have happening in Florida as it relates to AI in our schools,” Spar said.
Rizzo said lawmakers want to find balanced regulations that don’t prevent AI from being used as a tool.
“I believe we have to look for something that is reasonable, something that does not inhibit the natural progression of AI as a tool,” Rizzo said.
Education is not the only area lawmakers plan to address. Bills have also been filed targeting AI use in insurance and health care.
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