Introduced in 2019, this legislation mandates that the data on event data recorders in autonomous vehicles be preserved for use by law enforcement in the event of a car event. (Source)

This Act, introduced in the Rhode Island State Assembly, seeks to prohibit insurance companies from using "external consumer data and information sources, as well as any algorithms or predictive models that use external consumer data and information sources" that can discriminate against people based on protected characteristics. (Source)

This measure presents the 23 "principles for managing the responsible development of AI" created by multi-sectoral experts in Asilomar, California, and urges the local legislature to adopt them as guiding values for AI policy. (Source) (Source)

"The AP4AI project is to create a practical toolkit that directly and meaningfully supports AI Accountability when implemented in the internal security domain. Starting in 2021, the project partners developed AI accountability principles in consultation with experts in 28 countries, representing law enforcement officials, lawyers and prosecutors, data protection and fundamental rights experts as well as technical and industry experts. The toolkit will be freely available and will contribute to ensuring the deployment of AI tools for internal security in an accountable and transparent manner, in line with EU values and fundamental rights. The adoption of these principles will allow police and security forces to capitalise on the use of AI in combatting serious crime, whilst providing balance and accountability for supervisors, regulators and society." (Source)

In order to reduce traffic and weed out unsafe drivers, Quezon City launched an AI-powered "remote traffic violation monitoring system," called a no-contact apprehension program (NCAP). When a violation is detected, "the system will generate a Notice of Violation or NOV to be sent to the Local Government Unit for review and approval." The NCAP was entered into city legislation via an ordinance amending the Traffic Management Code of 2018. (Source) (Source)

"Each algorithm cited in the registry lists datasets used to train a model, a description of how an algorithm is used, how humans utilize the prediction, and how algorithms were assessed for potential bias or risks. The registry also provides citizens a way to give feedback on algorithms their local government uses and the name, city department, and contact information for the person responsible for the responsible deployment of a particular algorithm." (Source)

"On June 28, 2021, Shenzhen promulgated the draft of Regulations on the Promotion of Artificial Intelligence Industry of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone, which seeks to establish an overarching framework for AI, such as the approval framework for market entrance of AI products and services. The Regulations also mention the set up of a viable classification standard for the AI-related industries. To promote local AI clusters, the Shenzhen government encourages higher education institutions to roll out interdisciplinary AI courses and R&D labs. Affiliated government units are to use AI as much as possible, and grant support and procurement priority to qualified providers and service providers. The municipal government also decided to set up an AI ethics council to provide guidance and coordinate related applications." (Source)

The German state of Saxony released its AI strategy, which outlines nine goals to improve AI use in local government and community. The strategy outlines governance principles for AI use, such as data protection, data security, equal rights, non-discrimination, diversity and participation. To enact these goals, the strategy also includes increasing public knowledge and education about AI and creating public dialogues on the development and use of AI to build trustworthy and non-discriminatory tools. Further, the strategy discusses ways of responsibly and equitably leveraging data for algorithm training to support new business areas. (Source)

This project will explore how cities can solve their climate challenges using AI, focused on energy optimization in buildings.

The Alabama State Legislature created the Alabama Commission on Artificial Intelligence to "review and advise the Governor and the Legislature on all aspects of the growth of artificial intelligence and associated technology in the state and the use of artificial intelligence in governance, health care, education, environment, transportation, and industries of the future such as autonomous cars, industrial robots, algorithms for disease diagnosis, manufacturing, and other rapid technological innovations and their effect on society and the quality of life in a manner consistent with our American values and for the benefit of Alabama citizens. The commission shall consider whether the Legislature should establish a permanent commission on artificial intelligence." (Source)

The Alabama State Legislature established the Alabama Council on Advanced Technology and Artificial Intelligence "to review and advise the Governor ... on the use and development of advanced technology and artificial intelligence in this state." A council of policymakers and technologists will discuss and provide recommendations on the use of AI by local government. (Source) (Source)

Modelled after the AI Registries in Amsterdam and Helsinki, the Algorithmic Transparency Standard is a nine-city collaboration that "sets common guidelines on the information to be collected for algorithm registers" to standardize information about algorithms and share local city best practices. (Source) (Source)

"The Alpha Principles for Ethical Use set out six points to align the use of data-driven technologies within government processes, programs and services with ethical considerations and values. Our team has undertaken extensive jurisdictional scans of ethical principles across the world, in particular the US the European Union and major research consortiums. The Ontario “alpha” principles complement the Canadian federal principles by addressing a gap concerning specificity. Ontario’s principles support our diverse economic ecosystem by not clashing with existing best practices, principles and frameworks. This approach references and harmonizes with known standards, principles and tools to create clarity rather than barriers for innovation that is safe, responsible and beneficial." (Source)

The Laboratorio para la Ciudad de Mexico (LabCDMX), the innovation and experimental subdivision of Mexico City's local government, sought to develop a strategic plan for Mexico City to leverage the opportunities and avoid the risks associated with the public use of algorithms and automated learning in the short, medium, and long terms. They used an “anticipatory governance” methodology, understood as a series of flexible and collaborative strategies allowing governments to build early the necessary capabilities for future decision making. The methodology was developed through two sessions with key stakeholders in the Mexico City AI ecosystem. The first “exploratory” session defined the expectations, opportunities, and risks of artificial intelligence for democracy. The second “co-creation” session established a workforce to generate inputs for the design of a strategic plan reflecting the collective vision for the future of the city. This was followed by an internal analysis session by LabCDMX, the results of which went into the organization’s final proposal presented in the report “Anticipatory Governance for CDMX: Artificial Intelligence”, which is expected to be adopted by the city’s AI ecosystem stakeholders. (Source)

In partnership with Intel India, the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad, and the Public Health Foundation of India, the state government of Telangana launched INAI, an applied AI think tank. The goal of this center is to find innovative, smart technology ways to address public health and safety problems. (Source)

The Global Observatory of Urban Artificial Intelligence, co-created by the CIDOB (Barcelona Centre for International Affairs) and the cities of Barcelona, Amsterdam, and London with the support of UNHabitat, launched the Atlas of Urban AI, an interactive map of tracking the "development of standards through the monitoring of AI initiatives and the research and reflection on key technological issues around AI." (Source)

In a 2023 audit of the New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI), the New York State Comptroller found that the OTI did not have an effective AI governance framework that adequately protected residents against AI bias and discrimination. Examining AI use by four agencies—the Administration for Children’s Services, Department of Education, New York City Police Department and Department of Buildings—the audit revealed a lack of guidance on how to use AI tools in a bias-minimizing manner, manage complaints made against algorithmic decision-making, a repository of AI used by the agencies, and risk assessments about the tools. The audit calls for city agencies to conduct risks assessments using AI governance frameworks and update and implement transparent oversight policies. (Source) (Source)

The Molenbeek-Saint-Jean municipality of Brussels introduced a €5,600 (US$5,689) tax per self-scanning cash register, citing that the machines are responsible for disappearing jobs and negatively impact social cohesion between city dwellers. (Source)

Starting in 2019 and formally adopted into state law in 2021, the Iowa State Legislature approved the use of autonomous (self-driving) vehicles on public highways provided the vehicle met "certain conditions including that the vehicle must be capable of attaining minimal risk if the automated driving system malfunctions." Further regulation and adherence to traffic standards have been instated, including a requirement that manufacturers may not test self-driving cars without a valid permit and providing oversight authority to the Transportation Commission to "restrict operation" of an autonomous vehicle on a road. (Source) (Source) (Source)

"A draft law has been submitted to the Standing Committee of the 13th Hangzhou Peoples Congress of East Chinas Zhejiang Province. If passed, the law would be Chinas first on the use of facial recognition in residential communities. ... The Hangzhou government began to solicit public opinion on the draft in September. ... Since Hangzhou aims to become the No.1 city in digital governance, the authorities have to respond to the most controversial issue which is facial recognition." (Source)

Due to the "threat to privacy and history of bias" of facial recognition tools, the Metropolitan King County Council banned its police force from using facial recognition technology or soliciting information from these tools except for in missing children cases. (Source) (Source)

The Worcester, Massachusetts City Council has implemented a ban on facial recognition technology because of its penchant for misidentifying people of color. "Worcester’s decision in a statement that noted more than 1.5 million residents in Massachusetts are now protected by a municipal facial recognition ban." (Source)

On May 25, 2019, the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence released the Beijing AI Principles, which covered best practices for research and development, use, and governance of AI development and deployment. (Source)

Taking into account the particular needs and vulnerabilities of children and their interactions with AI, the Beijing Academy of Artificial Intelligence released cross-sectoral, child-centered values that focus on protecting children's health and privacy, preserving their dignity, reducing discrimination, and promoting education and expression of free will. The principles emphasize the need for risk averse, explainable, and sustainable AI that enhances the development of children. (Source)

The City of Belfast in Northern Ireland has announced plans for a six-month pilot starting in the spring of 2023 to launch a Citizen Office of Digital Innovation (CODI). CODI's goal is to "boost resident engagement around data and technology" and enhance local digital citizenship and awareness of and agency over how tools such as artificial intelligence and data science are being used by the city. CODI will contribute to the Smart Belfast program, which has helped create the Belfast Regional City Deal and establish Smart Districts for smart city technology testbeds.

In Brussels, the municipality of Molenbeek-Saint-Jean has passed a measure to levy a €5,600 (US$5,689) tax on each self-scanning cash register. Mayor Catherine Moureaux cited concerns about the displacement of jobs due to the convenience of self-service checkouts and its impact on social cohesion in neighborhoods with older populations where interactions between customers and employees are reduced. The tax is also intended to generate revenue for the municipality given its challenging budgetary situation.

Alongside the city of Helsinki and its partners, the Berkman Klein Center will run a 3-week AI Policy Research Clinic with global scholars. "The Research Clinic will translate best practices and principles concerning the use of AI by public service providers into actionable measures, particularly in the context of municipal educational programs. The cohort will focus on challenges related to community involvement, participatory design, and stakeholder engagement as well as mechanisms for ensuring accountability and oversight." (Source)

In November 2021, the New York City Council passed legislation that prevents employers from using automated hiring tools unless they can demonstrate that the tool does not discriminate applicants via a yearly bias audit. While the bill does not specify what entails a "bias audit," the bill is a step towards increased transparency and accountability of AI. "The legislation calls on companies using automated decision tools for recruitment not only to tell job candidates when they're being used, but to tell them what information the technology used to evaluate their suitability for a job." In September 2022, the NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection proposed further clarifications to the law; these additions will be discussed at a public hearing prior to ratification. (Source) (Source) (Source)

"A new biometrics privacy ordinance has taken effect across New York City, putting new limits on what businesses can do with the biometric data they collect on their customers. From Friday, businesses that collect biometric information—most commonly in the form of facial recognition and fingerprints—are required to conspicuously post notices and signs to customers at their doors explaining how their data will be collected. The ordinance applies to a wide range of businesses—retailers, stores, restaurants and theaters, to name a few—which are also barred from selling, sharing or otherwise profiting from the biometric information that they collect." (Source) (Source)

Buenos Aires Citys chatbot, Boti, operates on WhatsApp and uses generative AI to provide residents and visitors with essential information and services. Introduced in 2019, it was the first municipal bot on Whatsapp globally. During the pandemic, it became a primary source for Covid-19 updates. Boti offers an array of services, from reporting civic issues to scheduling appointments and accessing cultural insights. It supports multilingual interactions and facilitates mobility by offering information on parking, EcoBici stations, subway statuses using data from the City of Buenos Aires.

In 2021, the City of Buenos Aires launched its first AI plan to use harness AI's power and development while mitigating "possible risks and accompany the transition in the City towards AI." The plan looks to create human capital, data, infrastructure and research and development innovation around AI and implement public good strategies that use AI while enabling further growth of AI ethics, awareness, and technology transfer in the city and beyond. The AI Plan includes a laboratory of ideas that has a dedicated training for young people, a policymaker and public course on AI awareness. So far, two projects have materialized under the AI plan: IATos, an algorithm to detect COVID-19 patterns through coughs and boti, a city service chatbot. (Source)

The Legislature of the City of Buenos Aires has started a debate to regulate the implementation of facial recognition systems in public, introducing a bill. Since 2019, the government of Buenos Aires “has allowed the installation of a facial recognition system on 300 surveillance cameras in the city,” with systems designed to target fugitives and aid Argentinian justice authorities. “Legislators want to require the facial recognition system executing authority to transmit more information to the monitoring Committee of the Public Security System...and the Ombudsman’s Office. ... As a huge amount of video surveillance systems are installed among the country, it will be required to send information about the location of each device as well as clarifications on which of these systems are operating facial recognition software and what are the technical specifications of the facial recognition system of software used.” (Source)

"China’s southern Guangdong province said it plans to build a common data platform for the Greater Bay Area that includes Hong Kong and Macau, and will build a data trading market in Shenzhen – part of efforts to regulate data more thoroughly. Guangdong will also explore the establishment of a data “customs hub” to review and supervise data that crosses borders [...]." While it is not yet clear what data will be shared, these steps mark a data-driven approach by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau to use data responsibly for the public good. (Source)

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing hosted their first "virtual public hearing on algorithms and bias." ... "As employers increasingly move to automating hiring and other HR functions, it is imperative that we explore the growing role of algorithms in the workplace and assess whether our existing labor and employment laws are adequately protecting workers’ rights. ... As worker advocates, we must ensure that our state agencies are staying engaged on these issues and that our employment laws are developing in a way that keeps pace with these evolving technologies." (Source)

The 2022 California Workplace Technology Accountability Act looks to "limit workplace monitoring" to specific activities and times of day. It also gives agency to workers to be notified and access the data their employer holds about them and challenge inaccurate data. Further, the Act would require "algorithmic impact assessments of automated decision systems and data protection impact assessments of work information systems" to spot and correct bias, errors, and harm. (Source)

In line with similar task forces, such as the AI Task Force in Vermont, the State of Hawaii calls for a Committee of local officials and AI experts to research ways to integrate AI into public systems to improve local economy, state government processes, and private enterprise. (Source)

“The IDPs are ‘strategic development plans for a municipality’ which ‘must link, integrate and coordinate all the municipality’s plans’ and established by the Municipal Systems Act, 2000. The development of IDPs are participatory and local government must consult and build the capabilities for community participation. IDPs are a key policy site for guiding the deployment of AI and data at the local level. The City of Cape Town’s 2017-2022 IDP for example, expressly identifies ‘leverag[ing] technology for progress’ as a key objective and notes that ‘[t]he establishment of an administration-wide big-data analytical platform will enable the City to extract useful information from various datasets to make strategic decisions and improve service delivery across all directorates and departments - making for a truly smart City.’” (Source)

The Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, UN-Habitat, UCLG, and Eurocities, in partnership with Open Society Foundations created a digital rights governance framework. The framework helps cities ensure that technology does not outpace citizens' rights, focusing on transparency, accountability, and community  participation. Three European cities intially tested the framework, and it may include a helpdesk function to connect with other municipalities and experts.

The City of Boston has outlined guidelines to use Generative AI (such as ChatGPT) responsibly in government. The guidelines outline principles for Generative AI use, including making sure AI use is empowering, inclusive, transparent, privacy-respecting, and for a public purpose. Further, it outlines use cases for how to use Generative AI responsibly, such as to write memos, summarize text, or plain language text. (Source)

“City Possible, pioneered by Mastercard, is a partnership and co-creation initiative that brings cities, companies and communities together to identify common challenges and co-develop solutions that advance inclusive and sustainable urban development...The City Possible operating model consists of three interconnected engines that support one another to foster collaboration and co-creation on a global scale.” (Source)

On May 17, of 2024 Governor Polis signed the Colorado AI Act (CAIA) (SB-205) into law. This law establishes new individual rights and protections with respect to high-risk artificial intelligence systems, the Act will take effect on February 1, 2026. CAIA was informed by extensive stakehoder engagement, including a bipartisan multistate policymaker working group convened by the Future of Privacy Forum.

The ratification of Senate Bill 21-190: Protect Personal Data Privacy in July 2021 established the Colorado Privacy Act, which regulates data collection and storage by businesses to generate profit and includes "data subject rights, a broad opt-out consent model with a universal opt-out mechanism, a right to cure, and attorney general rulemaking and enforcement." Through this bill, consumers hold the power to "control and dictate how their data is used." (Source) (Source) (Source)

Starting in 2014, the Community Control of Police Surveillance (CCOPS) movement allows residents to voice their opinion on the use of surveillance and policing technologies in their neighborhood. Eighteen towns have adopted CCOPS laws that require community approval before the implementation of surveillance technology and regular audits and reviews. (Source)

"CLAIRE seeks to strengthen European excellence in AI research and innovation. The network forms a pan-European Confederation of Laboratories for Artificial Intelligence Research in Europe. Its member groups and organisations are committed to working together towards realising the vision of CLAIRE: European excellence across all of AI, for all of Europe, with a human-centred focus." (Source)

To deploy algorithms in a more responsible and accountable manner, the City of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, developed 'Contractual Terms' required for algorithms purchased from third-party suppliers that are deployed in local governance. These terms require transparency and explanability of the algorithm's function and data use to understand how its use can impact residents and help mitigate biases and risks. (Source)

"Mayor Bill de Blasio ... signed an Executive Order to establish an Algorithms Management and Policy Officer within the Mayor’s Office of Operations at the recommendation of the Automated Decision Systems (ADS) Task Force. The Officer will serve as a centralized resource on algorithm policy and develop guidelines and best practices to assist City agencies in their use of algorithms to make decisions. The new Officer will ensure relevant algorithms used by the City to deliver services promote equity, fairness and accountability.” (Source)

This Act establishes an Office of Equity in Washington State that addresses the historic and socioeconomic inequities exacerbated by technologies such as AI against marginalized communities. The Office will review the technologies in use and prior to procurement to check and correct bias and discrimination. It also serves as a hub for smaller inclusion initiatives across the state to coordinate principles and frameworks to further equity across local government. The Office will also have a diverse Community Advisory Board to council its work. (Source)

In 2019, the French city of Nantes unveiled a metropolitan data charter that outlined four commitments to data sovereignity of the community, data protection, data transparency, and data innovation. This charter was developed to increase citizen engagement and participation with the evolving use of data in public services. (Source) (Source)

Researchers ran data clinics in Amsterdam from 2019-2021 and found that data protection, ethical frameworks, and implementation strategies are lacking across cities. The data clinic is an independent, action-focused process that creates space for cities to explore these mechanisms and adapt solutions for them. (Source)

The Shenzhen local government put in place an AI regulation that encourages government uptake and innovation around AI in the city. To assist this transformation, the government "will set up public data sharing rules and open certain types of data to businesses and institutions working in the industry." Under the regulation, the municipality also seeks to create an AI ethics committee to oversee the social implications of data and AI use. (Source) (Source)

The government of DC launched "DC Compass" which uses generative AI to answer user questions and create maps from open data sets including data from district's populations to trees planted in the city. The Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) partnered with Esri, a tech company which uses geographic information system technology. They spent less than $400,000 on AI development, and have allocated an additional $1.7 million to develop more AI tools for DC's agencies.

The Manchester Declaration for Responsible and Intelligent Data Practice includes 23 principles, developed in partnership with community stakeholders, to protect a "practical and pragmatic, as well as living and dynamic" framework for ethical and safe use of data in the city (Source) (Source)

Amsterdam, Utrecht, Eindhoven, Rotterdam, and The Hague are working with the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water to create a shared standard for mobility data. "The CDS-M consists of the “standard”, the technical design, and the “agreement”, that details which organisations are involved in data processing. The agreement framework is now under development and will be established by a working group comprising mobility operators, urban planners, data scientists, code developers, data protection officers, and security experts." (Source)

The City of Brussels' Digital Rights Charter has created principles for using artificial intelligence to benefit residents while ensuring transparency, accountability, and adherence to ethical guidelines, including human rights protection. Collaboration with the region and local municipalities is encouraged for consistency. Standard clauses for algorithmic system procurement and human rights safeguards are promoted to ensure safe and ethical AI use.

Drafted by the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, a 50-city-plus initiative seeking avenues for updating governance to include digital rights-based policy making, the Digital Rights Governance Framework is a self-assessment tool or maturity model that can be used and adapted by cities to help them in "appointing a dedicated digital rights officer or team; publishing open registries on data, algorithms, sensors, and suppliers; and introducing bias assessments for data projects." This initiative is specifically focused on local data governance initiatives. (Source) (Source)

"Digital transformation policy of the Capital City of Warsaw Warsaw describes the concept of the capitals development in the field of new technologies and digitization. It indicates the values to which this development is subordinated and the principles of operation of the citys institutions. ... The focus of the presented approach to the digitization of Warsaw is people and their needs, which can be implemented more conveniently and economically, with high attention to privacy and security as well as sustainable development of the city." (Source)

Following public demands for investigation of the algorithm created by Totta Data Lab to flag Dutch welfare recipients for being at-risk used by the City of Nissewaard, The Netherlands, oversight group TNO examined the AI's methodology against ethical guidelines. Their study found that the algorithm underperforms with regard to external validity, programming, and the presence of random elements in the algorithm; TNO recommended the City of Nissewaard to stop using the AI to decrease erroneous risk and bias. (Source)

The European Interoperability Framework for Smart Cities and Communities proposal "is targeted at EU local administration leaders" to introduce interoperability across smart cities and reinforce EU connectedness. The proposal focuses on technical, semantic, organizational, legal, and cultural interoperability, as well as the governance of interoperability. To help local governments utilize the principles, the Framework leands on an Integrated Service Governance Model that outlines the roles of various stakeholders in smart data governance and collaboration. (Source) (Source)

This ordinance bans the City of Minneapolis from acquiring facial recognition technology in an effort "to surveil public places has the potential to chill the exercise of free speech in those public places." Upholding its Data Privacy Principles, this ordinance calls for transparent and non-discriminatory procurement and use of facial recognition tools. (Source)

The Metropolitan Police Service (the Met) employs Facial Recognition (FR) technology for various policing purposes. It is used for real-time identification of individuals on watchlists, operator-initiated image capture, and retrospective analysis to identify persons or match images against databases. Live Facial Recognition (LFR) focuses on specific areas, streaming images to a watchlist database.

"The Baltimore City Council Public Safety and Government Operations Committee ... passed an ordinance that would not only ban law enforcement and other agencies from purchasing and using facial recognition systems but would even bar the use of such technology by private citizens in the city. Under Council Bill 21-0001, residents would be prohibited from “obtaining, retaining, accessing, or using certain face surveillance technology or any information obtained from certain face surveillance technology.” The ordinance does provide an exemption for biometric access control systems." (Source)

House Bill 2031 prohibits local law-enforcement and/or campus police to "purchase or deploy facial recognition technology, ... unless such purchase or deployment is expressly authorized by statute." It also requires police departments currently using facial recognition to phase out the technology by July 1, 2021. (Source)

In 2022, the California Fair Employment & Housing Council (FEHC) proposed regulations to the use of automated decision-making systems and artificial intelligence in hiring practices. The FEHC broadly defines automated systems as any program that uses algorithms for face/voice recognition/characteristics, reaction time, and cognitive tests, reaffirms that any "intentionally discriminatory" practices are unlawful, and extends liability for discriminatory use of systems to third-parties. (Source) (Source)

The Angers Loire metropolitan region of France is the first of four global communities communicating around their smart city sensors and tools as part of the 'Digital Trust for Places and Routines' (DTPR), an open communication standard run by start up Helpful Places. Between November 2022 to March 2023, the Angers Loire region will use DTPR signage where sensors are placed in public areas, such as for monitoring garbage and parking lot capacities. The signs will inform citygoers about the data being collected by the technology, as well as who is collecting it and for what purposes, while also allowing residents to give feedback in order to make people more aware of smart city technology. (Source) (Source)

The Angers Loire Metropolitan Region in France launched the first European deployment of Digital Trust for Places and Routines (DTPR) as part of the 2022 DTPR City Cohort. DTPR signage will inform residents and visitors about data collected by smart technologies, who collects it, and its usage in the Place de la Fraternité public square. Users can provide feedback via QR codes, and researchers will gather input about the project and the DTPR system.

“The Oliver Wyman Forum has conducted extensive global research on 105 cities to better understand the potential disruption brought by AI. Our goal: to move beyond admiring things like “smart cities” and start a data-informed conversation about how to address the very real opportunities and challenges of AI disruption. Our research draws on surveys of city residents and conversations with leaders in business, government, and academia, as well as analysis of publicly available socioeconomic data.” (Source)

This report by UN Habitat seeks to support urban managers and decision-makers in making human-centered smart city governance decisions. The report includes a systematic literature review of 150 scientific publications on smart city governance and a global online survey with 300 respondents reporting on governance practices of 250 municipalities across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America. (Source)

"The average Washington resident is unlikely to understand processes used by these automated decision systems, yet these systems are increasingly used to make core government and business decisions impacting the civil rights and liberties of Washingtonians, raising significant concerns around due process, fairness, accountability, and transparency." To make the use of algorithms more open, Senate Bill 5116 requires public agencies seeking to use automated decision systems to file an algorithmic accountability report, disclose information about the systems' creators and use in plain language, make the system and its training data freely available. The bill also calls for a public registry of automated systems. (Source)

House Bill 2557 requires companies that use AI to screen video interviews to notify applicants, provide information explaining how the AI works, and obtain consent before the interview. Employers cannot submit applicants to AI without their consent nor can they share the recordings, "except with persons whose expertise is necessary in order to evaluate an applicant's fitness for a position." (Source)

The Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act requires employers who use AI-assisted interviews in the hiring process to notify the applicant of the software's use; explain how the AI works to evaluate applicants; and obtain consent from applicants to be evaluated by the system. Furthermore, employers that use AI interviews must collect and report demographic data of those not selected for the role. (Source)

The Future of Work Act responds to the changing employment and working condition landscape brought on by automated technologies. It establishes a Future of Work Taskforce that will "identify and assess the new and emerging technologies that have the potential to significantly affect employment, wages, and skill requirements" and create proactive job standards and opportunities that assess the impact of new technology for workers. (Source) (Source)

The City of Antibes has released an inventory of algorithms used by public services. The inventory lists who, what, and how algorithms are fully or partially used to make decisions and are updated as more information is collected. (Source)

The Innovation Sandbox for Artificial Intelligence (AI) of the Canton of Zurich is a dedicated test environment fostering responsible innovation by facilitating collaboration between public administration and participating organizations on regulatory issues related to AI projects. With the aim of addressing uncertainties arising from unclear regulatory terms for AI technologies, the sandbox provides a defined space for the implementation of AI projects, promoting responsible innovation and mitigating risks.

Open to start-ups, SMEs, large companies, and research institutions, the initiative offers access to regulatory expertise and new data sources. What sets it apart is the active implementation of selected projects, going beyond mere review. The overarching goal is to drive responsible innovation based on legal and ethical criteria, supporting the widespread adoption of AI in public administration, business, and research, with a commitment to publicly share all findings and results for enhanced transparency and collective learning.

The Barcelona City Council drafted a municipal algorithm and data strategy for an ethical promotion of AI to regulate its use by public departmenets. The strategy introduces a framework to guide the use of data and AI in public actions and reaffirms the need for public oversight, transparency and auditability, and consideration of AI's risks and benefits. (Source)

A ProPublica analysis reports significantly higher car insurance premiums for people living in minority-majority neighborhoods in cities. The algorithms used to calculate the “risk” are suspected to facilitate biases against non-white citizens depending on their home address, as insureres were “charging premiums that were on average 30 percent higher in zip codes where most residents are minorities than in whiter neighborhoods with similar accident costs”. Insurers argue that the data points for calculating premiums are trade secret and can not be released, and though some data is released due to government intervention, investigations have found the provided data to be insufficient to prove the claim. (Source)

The KEYS (Keep Entry to Your home Surveillance-free) Act prevents landlords "from mandating tenants use facial recognition, biometric scanning, or any other smart-key technology to access their homes." (Source) (Source)

The London Office of Technology and Innovation launched its London Data Ethics Service, a group that identifies and navigates ethical issues on existing and emerging data projects to improve pan-London data projects and policies. The Service helps facilitate and guide cities in conversations on data and technology ethics. (Source)

London First, a nonprofit organization, works with UK people, businesses, and the local government to shape the city's agenda to focus on digital infrastructure expansion, data-led policymaking, and dynamic responses to technological change. The London Data Charter would demonstrate data sharing commitment between public and private businesses. Its objectives include supporting data-sharing, creating accountability among data sharing, protecting consumer privacy, addressing city challenges, and delivering better services to Londoners. (Source)

Established by the 2021 Mayoral Manifesto, the Emerging Technology Charter outlines "practical and ethical guidelines for the trialing and deployment of new data-enabled technology deployed in public services or the public realm in London (known as smart city technology)." This charter sets standards for businesses and citizens to be aware of the use of AI in the public domain and allows for increased engagement around which, where, and how smart city technology is used in London. The charter has four principles for emerging technology: it must first Be open; second, Respect diversity; third, Be trustworthy with people’s data; and fourth, Be sustainable. (Source) (Source)

LOTI (London Office of Technology and Innovation) launched the London Data Ethics Service, comprising three initiatives to support members in using residents' data ethically and introducing a Data Ethicist role to guide local authorities in responsible data innovation. The initiative addresses the need for a strategic approach to ensure data practices meet ethical standards.

"In the city of Ningbo in eastern Zhejiang province, the local market regulator recently fined three property firms for “illegally acquiring customers’ facial information”. The companies, local subsidiaries of land developers China Poly Group, Sunac China Holdings and Greenland Holdings, were each slapped with a fine of 250,000 yuan (US$38,500). The Ningbo Administration for Market Regulation said that the three firms “violated the consumer protection law by collecting and using facial identity without consent” when they set up facial recognition devices at sales offices to determine whether a visitor was the client of an agency." (Source)

The proposed Massachusetts 'Internet Bill of Rights' (Senate Bill 2687: An Act Establishing the Massachusetts Information Privacy and Security Act) would give residents greater control over the use, processing, and amending or deleting of their personal data. It would allow residents to "opt out of the sale" of their data to businesses and mandate businesses to obtain consent for the sale of sensitive data (i.e. geodata, biometrics, racial data, etc.) collected from minors. The bill would also require companies to give plain-language privacy notices explaining how consumer information would be gathered and sold and how they can opt-out of sharing data. (Source) (Source) (Source) (Source)

"Governor Baker amended the bill to strengthen its due process protections for law enforcement, added police labor representation on the commission, and strengthened the bill’s facial recognition provisions ensuring law enforcement agencies can continue to access these potentially lifesaving tools responsibly. ... The bill places strict limits on the use of so-called “no-knock” warrants, requiring such warrants to be issued by a judge and only in situations where an officer’s safety would be at risk if they announced their presence and only where there are no children or adults over the age of 65 in the home. The legislation provides for an exception when those children or older adults are themselves at risk of harm. In addition, the bill requires law enforcement to seek a court order when conducting a facial recognition search except in emergency situations." (Source) (Source)

The Mississippi State Legislature passed a bill creating the Mississippi Computer Science and Cyber Education Equality Act to develop and adopt a mandatory K-12 computer science curriculum that introduces children to computational thinking, programming, cybersecurity, data science, robotics, and artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance their professional and educational development. (Source) (Source)

The Montréal Declaration for Responsible Development of Artificial Intelligence is "a set of ethical guidelines for the development of artificial intelligence is the culmination of more than a year of work, research with citizens, experts, public policymakers and industry stakeholders, civil society organizations, and professional orders. ... It is incumbent on the various public and private stakeholders and policymakers, at the local, national and international levels, to ensure that the development and deployment of AI are compatible with the protection and fulfilment of fundamental human capacities and goals.” The Declaration outlines 10 ethical principles and values and sets forth 8 recommendations. (Source)

The Université Grenoble Alpes created the Chair on the Legal and Regulatory Implications of Artificial Intelligence and the Multidisciplinary Institute on Artificial Intelligence (MIAI) with input from an international panel of experts and a selection process commissioned by the French Government. "The main mission of the chair will be to research how regulation can support sustainable and ethical innovation ... Our website aims to become a forum to provide some answers to these questions and share the results of our research as well as insights on these issues from external collaborators and contributors. We will publish substantive articles and reports as well as brief notes and news updates on worldwide developments in AI regulation.” Further, MIAI "aims to conduct research in artificial intelligence at the highest level, offer attractive courses for students and professionals at all levels, support innovation in large companies, SMEs and start-ups and inform and interact with citizens on all aspects of AI.” (Source)

Barcelona City Council approved the new “Municipal strategy on algorithms and data to ethically drive artificial intelligence," a "government measure laying down the mechanisms for applying artificial intelligence (AI) to municipal management and services while respecting citizens’ digital rights. Barcelona is thus joining cities such as Amsterdam, New York, Helsinki, Toronto, and Seattle in the construction of a human rights-based AI and emerging technology model with a commitment to a democratic digital society. The strategy provides for the creation of a public register that gives citizens access to all the algorithms affecting people and used by the City Council, in order to make them transparent and subject to scrutiny. It further provides for the establishment of clauses to ensure that any intelligent systems included in municipal tenders respect people’s rights. In addition, an international AI observatory will be established in collaboration with the Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB) and within the framework of the Cities Coalition for Digital Rights, a participatory body for the involvement of social agents in the development of ethical AI in the City Council and Barcelona as a whole." (Source) (Source)

Through the eyes of a feminist, the intersections of Artificial intelligence, privacy, and data protection are explored in the context of South Africa. The context of gendered marginalisation of women, gender-diverse people, and sexual minorities forms the basis of understanding the data concerns. AI and gender; feminist methodology and policy are assessed from a feminist perspective to develop recommendations for gender-responsive policy and regulations and action from the civil society for engagement on data rights. (Source)

“The New York City Automated Decision Systems Task Force (ADS Task Force) was established by Local Law 49 of 2018 and was tasked with recommending a process for reviewing the City’s use of automated decision systems (more commonly known as algorithms). Because many City agencies and offices use algorithms to aid their decision-making, and because automated decision systems are becoming more prevalent in all fields, the City is examining ways to ensure these systems align with the goal of making New York City a fairer and more equitable place.” (Source)

The New York City Council passed a bill barring AI hiring systems that do not pass annual audits checking for race- or gender-based discrimination The bill would require the developers of such AI tools to disclose more information about the workings of their tool and would provide candidates the option of choosing an alternative process to review their application.

The City of Syracuse’s Office of Accountability, Performance, and Innovation (OAPI), based in city hall, “develops innovative solutions to Syracuse’s most pressing problems. It leverages idea generation techniques and utilizes a structures, human-centered and data-driven approach to affect change and deliver results within the city." Working on risk management of local AI implementation, “OAPI and the rest of the City government consider developing and using an evaluative framework to ensure completeness and consistency in their decision making central to this task."(Source)

"The City of Asheville’s Office of Data and Performance (ODAP) in North Carolina was created to increase transparency in government and to empower the community and City staff to use data for equitable outcomes, accountability, and communication." Through data, the ODAP informs Asheville residents on how local government uses information to improve its work, drive data-driven decision-making and goal measurement, and manage and govern its data stores in an equitable, secure, accurate, and accessible manner. (Source) (Source)

Provinces and territories have jurisdiction over approving and overseeing automated vehicle testing. Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation “launched a ten-year pilot program to allow the testing of automated vehicles" through regulation under the Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act. A program requirement is that [t]he driver must remain in the driver’s seat of the vehicle at all times and monitor the vehicle’s operation, unless approved for driverless testing." (Source)

The Detroit City Council unanimously approved the Community Input Over Government Surveillance Ordinance that requires greater transparency on all city surveillance systems and procurement processes to "educate the community and allow for public input before new technology is acquired or used." This move is in response to calls for better understanding and accountability of facial recognition software by city services, especially the police force. (Source) (Source)

To improve transparency and citizen awareness of surveillance technology used in the city, the San Diego City Council voted in favor of an ordinance that requires annual reports on the use of surveillance technology in the city, as well as the need for recommendations from the privacy advisory board and the public before decisions are made on the use of such tools in public areas. This requirement, however, is not needed for police working on federal task forces to the dismay of many residents. (Source)

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the creation of a consortium to secure New Yorks place at the forefront of the artificial intelligence transformation. The consortium, named Empire AI, will create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center in Upstate New York to be used by New York’s leading institutions to promote responsible research and development, create jobs, and unlock AI opportunities focused on public good. Governor Hochul also released a new policy to ensure agencies within state government understand how to responsibly harness the opportunity of AI technology to better serve New Yorkers.

“An Act to Ban Facial Surveillance by Public Officials in Portland, Maine, will ban the city of Portland and its departments and officials from using or authorizing the use of any facial surveillance software on any groups or member of the public, and provides a right to members of the public to sue if facial surveillance data is illegally gathered and/or used.” (Source)

The City Council of Portland passed ordinances that ban the use of facial recognition technology in public places by both government agencies/city bureaus, and private companies. This applies to government agencies such as the Portland Bureau of Police, and most notably to private entities such as “hotels, 24-hour convenience stores, and even airports." (Source) (Source)

The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Smart City PDX, Office of Equity and Human Rights, and the Bureau of Technology Services will coordinate citywide privacy and information protection, including creating a technology registry, audit to measure technology effectiveness, and oversight strategies and Privacy Impact Assessment to monitor surveillance technology. (Source)

Developed by Smart City PDX, Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office and the Office of Equity and Human Rights, the Privacy Principles consulted 30 city agencies and held two public forums for citizen feedback to design the guiding principles for protecting data collected and used by local government. There are seven principles: (1) Transparency and accountability; (2) Full lifecycle stewardship; (3) Equitable data management; (4) Ethical and non-discriminatory use of data; (5) Data openness; (6) Automated Decision Systems; and (7) Data Utility. (Source) (Source)

In 2016, amid growing concerns about the use of surveillance technology in Oakland, California, the city formed a permanent Privacy Advisory Commission (PAC), the first of its kind in the United States. The PAC consists of nine experts who advise the city council the "purchase and use" of surveillance technology and help craft policies and legislation related to data use and privacy with input from locals to create a smart city model that is privacy- and resident-focused. (Source)

In 2022, this bill passed in the Alabama State Senate prohibiting "state or local law enforcement agencies from using artificial intelligence or a facial recognition service to engage in ongoing surveillance except for in certain circumstances" and from using results from facial recognition software as "being the sole basis for making an arrest" or to "identify an individual based on other images." (Source) (Source)

This Act prohibits the collection, use, or disclosure of personal health data without the individual's express consent. It carves out exceptions, including if the data was made "lawfully available" to the public, the data was collected for emergency tracking during COVID-19, or the data "has been deidentified in accordance with federal law." It also includes regulations on retaining, storing, and using data personal health data and limits data transmission for only specified purposes that are "reasonably necessary." (Source)

The Barcelona City Council approved the creation of an "internal protocol for implementing algorithmic systems at a municipal level" document that helps guides regulation and governance of locally implemented AI systems. The document aims "to guarantee that these systems are used in a proportionate, supervised and grounded way, in accordance with legal, ethical and technical standards" and outlines the "mechanisms for safeguarding the rights associated with each stage of the tendering and implementation of an algorithmic system." It provides step-by-step direction for local governments using AI to assess risk and create accountable and transparent methods of monitoring AI use. (Source)

To implement its public service tasks, Nantes Métropole uses automated calculation tools to calculate aids, define rights or establish an invoice. Nantes Métropole committed to the Metropolitan Charter of the Data to promote more transparency regarding the algorithms it uses when it results in an automated individual decision.

In 2019, the Nantes Metropolis opened up the algorithms used to make decisions for public services for greater transparency to residents. Currently, two public algorithms are in use: one to determine the price of public transit, which takes into consideration income and number of family members of an individual and another to determine the social pricing of water for households. (Source)

This Joint Resolution in the Alabama State Senate recognizes the impact of AI on the local economy, talent, and job availabilities and the benefits of creating "industries of the future" for autonomous cars, industrial robots, and predictive algorithms in the state. (Source)

The City of Wuxi in Jiangsu Province, known as China's Internet of Vehicles Pilot Zone, has announced the nation's first draft regulation on the development of internet of vehicles. This draft regulation guides the commercial development of smart vehicles and the internet of vehicles networks. It provides regulation for monitoring mechanisms for road safety and privacy regulation for data collection and analysis. The draft regulation is set to be implemented on March 1, 2023. (Source)

This bill mandates that any data captured by a portable recording system "not be used in conjunction with any facial recognition system, software, or program capable of identifying or verifying a person from a digital image or a video frame from a video source" or "shared with any person who intends to use this data for such purposes." It also places restrictions on when and how data collected by portable recording systems can be stored and shared. (Source)

This legislation creates a task force of government agency officials and private sector experts to examine the current use of facial recognition technology by Colorado government agencies and provide recommendations on its use and restrictions. Further, the bill mandates that any agency "that uses or intends to develop, procure, or use" facial recognition will need to declare the technology service and purpose of use to a reporting authority, and provide a results and data policy report. For facial recognition use by law enforcement, human review and testing are required before use in certain instances. (Source)

Shanghai's city legislature passed a regulation to boost AI efforts at a local level by providing data governance and algorithmic standards to foster a "healthy and orderly development of the AI industry." It provides more flexibility for AI innovation by creating gradients of oversight and research sandboxes within established municipal regulations. to improve industry breakthroughs and attract talent. (Source)

Heralded as the Chinese Silicon Valley, Shenzhen has become the first local government in China to regulate its artificial intelligence sector. The 'Regulations on the Promotion of Artificial Intelligence Industry of Shenzhen Special Economic Zone' "seek[s] to promote the use and development of AI in both the public and private sectors, establish a framework to govern the approval of AI products and services, and regulate AI usage ethics." The regulation outlines incentives for public-private collaboration, data oversight systems, comprehensive data collection and monitoring methods, and government oversight of Big Tech. (Source)

This bill requires insurers to disclose to the commissioner information about external data sources used "in the development and implementation of algorithms and predictive models" for insurance practices. Use of External data used must be explained and assessed by a risk management framework to mitigate discrimination. (Source)

This law enacted by the New York City Council requires the public agencies to provide an annual report to the Mayor's Office of Operations on the automated decision systems in use "except when such a disclosure would endanger public safety." This disclosure must include identifying features such as the commercial name, description of the tool, and data collected and analyzed by the tool. This information will be forwarded to the Mayor and the Speaker of the Council each year. (Source)

Following a decision by the Portland, Maine City Council to ban facial surveillance technology by its police force, legislators in the Maine House of Representatives voted in favor of a proposal that "would allow for the use of the digital technology in the investigatiion of only the most serious crimes, including rape and murder." The "bill would require police to have probable cause before they use facial recognition in the investigation of a crime and would limit searches to databases maintained by the Department of Motor Vehicles or the Federal Bureau of Investigation." (Source) (Source)

"In 2018, the municipality of Rotterdam introduced the Data-driven Working program in order to work more digitally and efficiently. One of the algorithms [it] has been investigated is 'analytics benefit fraud'. In doing so, the computer uses various background characteristics of benefit recipients to determine which of them is at high risk of fraud. Some of them are then subject to a re-examination. According to the Court of Auditors, the algorithm for estimating the risk of benefit fraud has been trained with biased data. ... The Court is also critical of the lack of transparency surrounding the algorithm. The research states that "it is impossible to trace which choices have been made regarding ethical issues". In addition, it is "impossible for the citizen to gain a good insight into how the algorithm plays a role in the invitation for a re-examination". There is no central director for the algorithms and no one has "integral final responsibility". In addition, it is not evaluated whether the use of algorithms works better than the traditional method. Officially, the use of the distribution algorithm is still a pilot, but according to the Court of Auditors, it is not clearly defined when the algorithm will work well enough to be finally put into use." (Source)

“This bill would regulate the use of automated employment decision tools, which, for the purposes of this bill, encompass certain systems that use algorithmic methodologies to filter candidates for hire or to make decisions regarding any other term, condition or privilege of employment. This bill would prohibit the sale of such tools if they were not the subject of an audit for bias in the past year prior to sale, were not sold with a yearly bias audit service at no additional cost, and were not accompanied by a notice that the tool is subject to the provisions of this bill. This bill would also require any person who uses automated employment assessment tools for hiring and other employment purposes to disclose to candidates, within 30 days, when such tools were used to assess their candidacy for employment, and the job qualifications or characteristics for which the tool was used to screen. Violations of the provisions of the bill would incur a penalty.” (Source)

This action regulates the use of facial recognition technology by the government and law enforcement agencies because of concerns about bias and discrimination in the technology that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors believes “endangers the civil rights and civil liberties of San Francisco residents." City departments procuring surveillance technology will be required to submit a Surveillance Technology Policy Ordinance governing the use of the technology, a Surveillance Impact Report, and an annual audit report to the Board of Supervisors. (Source)

The Santa Cruz City Council banned the use of predictive policing (the use of crime data and algorithms to predict where crime is likely to occur) and facial recognition technologies by police. The decision was backed by civil liberties and racial justice groups in the city, on the basis of the racially discriminatory outcomes that the technologies foster. (Source) (Source)

Created under the Seattle Municipal Code Chapter 14.18, the "primary role of this group is to provide a privacy and civil liberties impact assessment for each [Surveillance Impact Report] (SIR). These assessments shall include a description of the potential impact of the surveillance technology on civil rights and liberties and potential disparate impacts on communities of color and other marginalized communities.” (Source)

"The Advisory Council on the Ethical Use of AI and Data was set up to advise Singapore Government on issues arising from commercial deployment of AI that may require policy or regulatory intervention." The Advisory Council aims to further responsible creation, use, and governance of AI. (Source)

Singapore released its Model AI Governance Framework at the 2019 World Economic Forum to create "ethical principles into practical recommendations that organisation could readily adopt to deploy AI reponsibly." The key facets "of the framework state that: decisions made by AI should be “explainable, transparent and fair”; and AI systems should be human-centric (i.e. the design and deployment of AI should protect people’s interests including their safety and wellbeing)." (Source) (Source)

In 2014, Singapore launched a Smart Nation initiative centered on building digital economy, government, and society. These projects include designing autonomous vehicles, creating smart parking applications, online platforms for parent-teacher communication, contactless payments, telehealth, and COVID-19 contact tracing and screening. Their AI work is cross-sectoral and focused on data collaboration between departments. (Source) (Source)

The Kowloon East region has implemented smart city initiatives to improve its urban infrastructure, walkability, resource management, and communication infrastructure. The design of the Smart Kowloon East included a public participatory process to improve the design and implementation of the smart city. (Source)

Dubai’s Ethical AI Toolkit “consists of principles and guidelines, and a self-assessment tool for developers to assess their platforms” and to “offer unified guidance that is continuously improved in collaboration with our communities”. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority adopted the Smart Dubai Ethical AI Toolkit and is using it for 13 AI use cases across departments. (Source)

The Metropolitan Police established standard operating "procedures for the Deployment of Live Facial Recognition (LFR) technology in support of policing operations to locate those on Watchlists." All police officers and authority agencies must follow these rules when using LFR and carry out an impact assessment to uphold data protection and anti-discrimination measures for risk mitigation. As well, information about the "authorisation process and requirements" to use LFR and considerations that could result one from being placed on a watchlist, and where information for watchlists, including pictures is sourced from. (Source)

In 2023, lawmakers in 31 states of the United States of America put forward a total of at least 191 bills concerning artificial intelligence (AI), marking a staggering 440 percent increase from the previous year. However, according to an analysis conducted by BSA The Software Alliance, only 14 of these bills were eventually enacted into law. In 2024, there has been a notable surge in the introduction of AI-related legislation and executive actions by state leaders nationwide. Up to this point, state legislatures and governors have implemented regulations aimed at addressing specific AI applications and preparing for future AI regulation. While no state has yet passed a comprehensive AI law and the amount of AI-specific legislation remains limited, the landscape may shift in 2024.

This guidelines provide the necessary information and steps for state leaders to assess
responsibly and accurately – and potentially procure and deploy – GenAI tools in California state entities.

Many state entities may be in the early stages of building internal capacity and knowledge to effectively and responsibly use GenAI tools, while simultaneously seeing software and tools they already use deploying GenAI-based software updates. For state entities that may be further along in both staffing capacity and knowledge of GenAI, these guidelines outline the required steps necessary to safely and responsibly procure and deploy new GenAI technology.

The Stop Discrimination by Algorithms Act (SDAA) bans "companies and institutions from using algorithms that produce biased or discriminatory results and lock individuals, especially members of vulnerable communities, out of critical opportunities, like jobs and housing." The legislation aims to enforce transparency and anti-discriminatory practices by mandating decision explainability by algorithms. (Source) (Source)

This ordinance seeks "to establish a thoughtful process regarding the procurement and use of Surveillance Technology that carefully balances the City’s interest in protecting public safety with its interest in protecting the privacy and civil rights of its community members." Prior to obtaining new surveillance technology tools, "city departments must show that the benefits of a new surveillance technology outweigh possible harms to privacy and civil liberties.” (Source) (Source) (Source)

Under Senate Bill S3971B, New York State created a Temporary Commission, set to last from 2019 to 2020, to examine and audit current state laws and their application to emerging technologies, as well as to create a regulatory framework informed by innovation in other states to better regulate and assess "possible economic impact" of AI in a responsible manner. (Source) (Source)

The city of Helsinki employs eight ethical principles to mitigate risks associated with data and AI. These include people-oriented development, transparent communication, explainability of algorithms, commitment to fairness and equality, assigned responsibility and trust maintenance, careful handling of personal data, ensuring system security, and maintaining human control. These principles guide the development of AI services, emphasizing the well-being of individuals and responsible and secure practices throughout the system's life cycle, with an overarching aim to uphold ethical standards in AI development.

The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance designed a policy roadmap centered around principles of equity, security, privacy, transparency, interoperability, and sustainability. "Within each of these core principles, the Alliance is coordinating teams of experts to develop model policies based on well-established foundational procedures that have been tried and tested by leading strategic objectives." At the Smart City Live 2020 event, 5 model policy projects have been established. The Smart Cities project is currently piloted across 36 countries around the world. (Source)

"THE NEW INSTITUTE and Francesca Bria have designed a project named "The New Hanse" in order to support Hamburg in becoming the European Capital of Green Digital Transformation. ... The goal is to identify tangible pilot projects within the city to showcase the potential of a data-driven and citizen-centered digital green transformation." (Source)

"The broad goal of this Strategy is to ensure New York City is equipped to meet the opportunities and challenges AI presents with robust and holistic steps that will support a healthy local ecosystem — one in which a broad mix of organizations across sectors work in concert to promote well-being, equity, and opportunity for all New Yorkers." Taking into consideration the diversity of AI decisionmakers and stakeholders, the Strategy provides a framework for the use of AI, its data, and its impact for all 150 NYC government agencies. (Source)

The NYC AI Action Plan outlines seven initiatives aimed at harnessing AI's potential while addressing its risks. These initiatives include phased actions with specific timelines for implementation. The plan emphasizes centralizing policy, guidance, support, and resources for city agencies, encouraging collaborative engagement with local experts, industry, academia, civil society, and the public. The goal is to ensure effective governance, advance AI efforts, and promote accountability and efficiency within city government.

Since the initial Smart City Blueprint was released in December 2017, the City of Hong Kong updated the blueprint in 2020. The blueprint includes plans to update local traffic analytics infrastructure, use the Internet of Things technology to help smart environment work, and streamline digital economy and government practices. (Source)

Co-created by the Information Commissioner's Office and the Alan Turing Institute, this guide "gives organisations practical advice to help explain the processes, services and decisions delivered or assisted by AI, to the individuals affected by them." It explains what it means to explain AI and apply explainable AI in practice, as well as prepare and deploy explainable AI within organizations. (Source)

Amid the pandemic, many local governments have acted to provide internet access for remote learning. Some cities, like Washington, D.C., and Chicago, offer low-cost or free service, recognizing the need for permanent solutions to address the digital divide. Municipal broadband networks, driven by cities themselves, are gaining traction. However, existing laws in 22 states often impede these efforts, with commercial providers lobbying to prevent competition. Some areas are using wireless networks and Citizen Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) to provide affordable internet, addressing the connectivity gap for students. Expanding these solutions will require federal support and policy reform, alongside commercial carriers seeking to enter the home broadband market.

The UK Metropolitan Police uses "NEC’s NeoFace Live Facial Recognition technology to take images and compare them to images of people on the watchlist. It measures the structure of each face, including distance between eyes, nose, mouth and jaw to create a facial template." Images that generate alerts are reviewed by police. Subjecting oneself to a biometric scanner is optional and their locations are communicated with the public in advance. Use and results of facial recognition are openly published. (Source)

The Urban AI think tank launched a global call to uphold six key principles of smart city regulation. They advocate for smart city and urban technology to stem from a social contract, be open and accessible, decentralized, frictional, meaningful, and ecological by design. Thus far, over 100 technology and governance personalities have signed the call. (Source)

Activist S.Q. Masood sent a legal notice to Hyderabad's police chief after being stopped in public, asked to remove his mask, and photographed without explanation. "“Being Muslim and having worked with minority groups that are frequently targeted by the police, I’m concerned that my photo could be matched wrongly and that I could be harassed,” Masood, 38, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. “It is also about my right to privacy, and my right to know why my photograph was taken, what it will be used for, who can access it, and how it’s protected. Everyone has a right to know this information,” he said." This legal action "is seen as a test case as facial recognition systems are deployed nationwide, with digital rights activists saying they infringe privacy and other basic rights." (Source)

The Utah State Legislature's bill on the local government's use of facial recognition technology regulates the circumstances and methods by which government agencies can use facial recognition technology. It also mandates that government bodies provide information on when and how they use facial recognition technology, as well as implementing training for employees utilizing the software for valid reasons. (Source)

From 2018 to 2020, the Vermont Artificial Intelligence Task Force met "to investigate the field of artificial intelligence (A.I.) and make recommendations for State action and policies with respect to this new technology. The Task Force found that this technology presents tremendous opportunities for economic growth and improved quality of life, but also presents substantial risks of loss of some jobs and invasions of privacy and other impacts to civil liberties. The Task Force further found that there are steps that the State can take to maximize the opportunities and reduce the risk, but action must be taken now. ... The Task Force recommends the establishment of a Code of Ethics and a new/permanent oversight commission that can monitor the development of artificial intelligence in the state and propose specific regulations in the future if indicated." (Source)

"This bill proposes to create the Artificial Intelligence Commission to support the ethical use and development of artificial intelligence in the State. ... The Commission will study and monitor all aspects of artificial intelligence systems in Vermont. ... It is the intent of the General Assembly to carry out the work of the Task Force by creating the Artificial Intelligence Commission to implement the other recommendations of the Task Force and make the State a leader in the United States and globally by promoting the development and use of ethical AI technology in Vermont." (Source)

The Municipality of Vicente López in Argentina had a proactive approach to promoting the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence. In 2022, the municipality launched a declaration of principles and ethical commitments for using AI within the city, and it is currently creating an AI Observatory. The principles seek to present a series of initial and general agreements for the responsible and ethical use of AI at Vicente López. The main objective of the document is to present those elements that must be taken into account by developers and those in charge of implementing AI solutions in the Municipality. This seeks to promote the use of technology and encourage the use of AI by providing clarity on the ethical guidelines that are applicable in the Municipality and the criteria that must be taken into account in the development of this type of project.

Governor Ralph Northam signed the Consumer Data Protection Act (CDPA), which creates a framework for controlling and processing personal data in Virginia. The CDPA places regulations on handling and processing personal data, security requirements and adherence to data minimization standards, and grants consumers with protections around acessing, correcting, and deleting their data. (Source) (Source)

Washington’s state lawmakers and civil rights advocates proposed new rules to prohibit discrimination arising out of automated decision-making by public agencies.The bill would establish new regulations for government departments that use “automated decisions systems". If enacted, public agencies in Washington state would be prohibited from using automated decisions systems that discriminate against different groups or make final decisions that impact the constitutional or legal rights of a Washington resident and would also ban government from AI-enabled profiling in public spaces.  Publicly available accountability reports ensuring that the technology is not discriminatory would be required before an agency can use an automated decision system.

"The purpose of the work group is to develop recommendations for changes in state law and policy regarding the development, procurement, and use of automated decision systems by public agencies." The group will consist of representatives across public agencies and advocacy organizations, with a specific focus on marginalized individuals, who will debate when automated decision-making and AI systems should be banned, methods of auditing and retaining transparency in system processes, and data handling and storage processes. (Source)

The Washington State Legislature's Senate Bill No. 5062 reaffirms that "consumers have the right to access, transfer, correct and delete data that companies hold on them." (Source)

“Thirty-six cities across 22 countries and six continents have agreed to pioneer a new roadmap for safely adopting new technology as part of the World Economic Forum’s G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance. The roadmap is designed to give cities the procedures, laws and regulations they need to use new technology responsibly. ... The cities will adopt policies for privacy protection, better broadband coverage, accountability for cybersecurity, increased openness of city data, and better accessibility to digital city services for disabled and elderly people.” (Source)