Nitin Agarwal Joins Arkansas Task Force On Ethical Use Of AI In State Govt.

India-West Staff Reporter

LITTLE ROCK, AR – Dr. Nitin Agarwal, Maulden-Entergy Chair and Donaghey Distinguished Professor of Information Science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock), has been appointed to a working group by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The group is tasked with exploring the safe and effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the Arkansas state government.

Nitin Agarwal expressed his enthusiasm for the initiative, emphasizing AI’s potential to drive innovation and economic growth, while also acknowledging its challenges. The working group will meet for one year to create policies and best practices for the ethical use of AI in government, including evaluating pilot projects like unemployment insurance fraud detection and recidivism reduction.

The group will submit its first report to the governor in December, assessing the impact of these projects on efficiency, cost savings, and economic development. Agarwal will collaborate with experts across various sectors to develop recommendations for secure AI deployment, ensuring that its integration enhances government operations while safeguarding privacy and ethical standards.

Agarwal stressed the importance of aligning AI policy with values like fairness, accountability, and transparency to maintain public trust. Since joining UA Little Rock in 2009, Agarwal has secured over $20 million in funding for the university from agencies such as the U.S. Army Research Office, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. National Science Foundation.

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