A pair of Forward Guernsey deputies want the States to follow the Isle of Man’s lead in exploring setting up a government AI office.
Deputies Tom Rylatt and Rhona Humphreys will lead an amendment to the government work plan, to be debated by the States next week, asking Policy & Resources to bring recommendations by the end of the year on the “strategic coordination and governance” of AI.
The pair say this should include considering a “dedicated AI office or equivalent function”, akin to what has been set up by the Isle of Man’s government in recent months.
Policy & Resources has already stated its desire to draw up an AI strategy as part of its work this political term, but it is seldom mentioned in the plan other than being listed as an “issue to address” and noting that the island risks “falling behind” without investment in digital capabilities.
But Deputies Rylatt and Humphreys want to ensure the approach considers “both the opportunities and risks that AI presents, reflecting its potential impact on economic growth, the labour market, public services, and the wider community.
They say this is to ensure the States looks beyond understanding how AI will impact the Bailiwick to how “the government should organise itself to respond in a coordinated and proactive way”.
This could involve an AI office, mirroring moves made in the Isle of Man which is seeking to balance opportunities with the appropriate use of the technology.
The island has allocated £1m to it initially as it looks for multi-million-pound savings in the public sector through efficiency and improved public service delivery, while also offering advice to industry and individuals on how to adopt it ethically.
Deputies Rylatt and Humphreys said it wanted P&R to carry out the work since it’s responsible for cross-States coordination and identified several areas where AI may make waves.
This ranged from everything from sexual exploitation tools demanding more tools for law enforcement to the use of AI in medical diagnostics.
Education could need to bolster AI literacy training and prepare students to work in an AI-assisted world, while Employment & Social Security would need to consider changes to the labour market and the displacement of jobs, they said.