AI is about scientists and technical instructors. This is why.
Here’s why hundreds of scientists and technology leaders are concerned about the future of artificial intelligence:
Just a FAQ, USA TODAY
Ohioteen Paisley Twel has an opinion on healthcare and AI, but now she has a state legislator.
Tuel, 19, of Case Western Reserve University, said her alarm bell was first dropped. She said she heard that insurers UnitedHealth and Cigna are being sued, allegedly using algorithms to inappropriately deny patient claims.
As a pre-law student, Tuel said he was interested in how different states protect patients from AI misuse. She quickly discovered that Ohio was not on the list of states that regulate how insurance companies, hospitals and others use AI.
“Many states are on the forefront of creating policies and committees,” Tuel said. “Ohio doesn’t do that.”
Twel, who grew up primarily in Ohio and spent the last year at a high school where he lived in Cincinnati’s Pleasant Rridge area, thought this was the problem.
Therefore, Tuel spent six months researching and writing a 50-page paper on “The Need for AI-Specific Regulation in Healthcare in Ohio” along with Sabrina Soto, co-editor-in-chief of Case Western Reserve University Law Journal.
The paper was published in the school’s undergraduate law journal in March to explore the gap between the rapidly evolving technology of AI and the frequently lagging regulations behind it.
The AI tools used to provide mental health services while in Massachusetts must be approved by the Licensing Commission prior to use. Illinois requires bias testing to prevent discrimination when AI is used on patients from different backgrounds, Ohio lacks similar laws. And it wasn’t until January 2024 that the state established the AI Council to manage Ohio’s use of generated AI.
Tuel and Soto’s efforts paid off when they traveled to Columbus in February to present their discoveries to Ohio House minority leader Allison Russo. After the meeting, Russo invited them to help draft a House bill on the topic.
The bill’s goal is to ensure the transparency, safety and effectiveness of AI used in health environments.
“We are testing and monitoring AI tools to monitor their widespread use in hospitals in Ohio.
It is equally important to allow patients to agree or reject AI-driven medical decisions.
“We want patients to know that AI is involved in health care decisions.”
This story has been updated to add videos.
