The Center for Democracy & Technology (CDT) and Consumer Reports have expressed their support for the passage of Colorado’s Senate Bill 205. This legislation aims to establish fundamental safeguards for the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in critical decisions impacting consumers and workers, such as those related to housing access, lending, and employment.
Under SB 205, companies would be obligated to evaluate high-risk AI tools for potential discrimination risks. Additionally, it would grant consumers and workers the right to be informed about when and how AI is being utilized to make significant decisions about them.
Grace Gedye, a policy analyst with Consumer Reports, commented on the bill's importance. "This bill lays an important foundation for Colorado to build on. Right now, consumers have no idea when potentially biased or error-prone AI software is used in decisions about whether they get insurance, medical treatment, or screened out of a job. This legislation would shine some much-needed sunlight on high-risk artificial intelligence. There’s still work to do to ensure strong enforcement and to close some remaining loopholes. We look forward to Governor Polis signing SB 205, and working with the Governor and Colorado legislators in the future," she said.
Matt Scherer, Senior Policy Counsel at the CDT also spoke out in favor of the bill. “Workers’ rights and consumer advocates have long called for legislation that would bring transparency and accountability to the shadowy world of AI-driven decisions,” he stated. “Majority Leader Rodriguez and Representatives Rutinel and Titone took stakeholder input seriously before bringing SB 205 to the floor, and the bill on Governor Polis’s desk reflects their thoughtfulness and diligence. We look forward to the Governor signing this much-needed baseline legislation and working with civil society and other stakeholders to make sure that SB 205’s impact matches its spirit.”
Consumer Reports has recently published an AI policy guide outlining its primary positions and recommendations for policymakers.
