* Press release…
Governor JB Pritzker today signed Executive Order 2026-07 establishing the Illinois Artificial Intelligence (AI) Cabinet, a group of individuals from across industries and fields that will assess the various risks posed by AI to the safety of Illinoisans. As AI continues to rapidly advance, the Illinois AI Cabinet will advise state government on preparing for and responding to AI-related incidents, identifying safeguards for public assets and infrastructure, and evaluating additional steps Illinois can take to strengthen AI safety and accountability. The Governor will seek input from state agency leaders and announce members of the cabinet in the coming weeks. The AI cabinet will include a broad cross-sector of experts from academia, law, ethics, governance and more. […]
The executive order comes in response to the lack of federal action amidst the resignation of yet another whistleblower within the AI industry. Governor Pritzker is again taking proactive steps after signing nation-leading AI regulations into law this summer, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Safety Measures Act creates a framework placed for AI safety, accountability, and transparency. This framework implemented risk identification, disclosure, and mitigation requirements on the largest AI developers in the state, including making Illinois the first state to require annual independent third-party audits, and amongst the first to provide protections for workers who report safety concerns – an essential safeguard as safety concerns rise in the very development hubs where AI continues to evolve.
The Illinois AI Cabinet will focus on:
Cross‑Sector Expertise & Strategic Guidance
- Provide cross‑sector expertise to develop comprehensive recommendations on AI safety, risk management, and regulation.
- Make timely policy recommendations to Illinois state agencies and government bodies based on current information about AI risks and best practices.
Safety of Residents & Incident Preparedness
- Develop policies and procedures to prepare for, prevent, and respond to AI‑related incidents that may impact the safety of Illinois residents.
- Analyze emerging AI incidents and share lessons learned to strengthen statewide preparedness and response.
Protection of Public Assets & Infrastructure
- Create policies and procedures to safeguard public assets—including public buildings, water systems, education systems, and information infrastructure—from AI‑driven threats.
Feasibility & Policy Evaluation
- Assess the feasibility, timelines, and potential challenges associated with recommended AI policy measures.
- Evaluate the feasibility of potential state regulatory actions, including:
- Conditioning data‑center tax incentives, permits, or operational approvals on meeting safety, accountability, and transparency standards.
- Addressing the energy burden AI data centers place on the Illinois grid and ratepayers, including impacts through PJM Interconnection.
- Incorporating AI safety and accountability standards into state procurement and contracting processes.
- Assessing whether a strict‑liability framework for AI‑caused harm is an appropriate mechanism for holding AI companies accountable.
The AI Cabinet will bring together academic and subject-matter experts alongside senior leaders from the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT), the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA), the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), the Illinois State Police (ISP), the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), and the Illinois Department of Public Health, which are state agencies responsible for technology, emergency management, financial regulation, utilities, public safety, economic development, and environmental protection. Governor Pritzker will announce appointed members of the Cabinet in the coming weeks.
Thoughts?
- Remember the Alamo II - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:29 am:
Not a bad idea, but it doesn’t seem like they are planning on including anyone from the industry. Seeing how little non-industry people know about what is going on in the AI space right now, this omission could undermine the goals behind this initiative.
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:31 am:
===Thoughts? ===
One of the biggest lingering questions that I have for the adoption of what we’re calling AI in state government is very straight forward; “Who is responsible for the decision made by the AI?”
I think that any policy that places that responsibility on worker who is on the lowest rung of an organization is poorly thought out. If AI is being deployed to make policy decisions or to make decisions that have any impact whatsoever on an individual person the confidence in this process should be so high that the agency director bears INDIVIDUAL responsibility.
Passing the buck to the lowest ranked employee in the process is not how that “buck stops here” sign is supposed to work.
- Friendly Bob Adams - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:40 am:
Well if DoIT is on the case, what could go wrong??
- Southern Dude - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:40 am:
Thoughts? - Election year and political appointments
- Think Again - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:43 am:
Regulators gonna regulate
- levivoted4judy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:43 am:
This is a great idea and JB may be uniquely positioned to make this work via being the founder of the 1871 tech incubator and its spin-offs like MATTER. The Discovery Partners Institute is another player to bring in. This should be done at the fed level but maybe if a consortium of governors can do somethihng similar we may be able to get our arms around AI.
- Streator Curmudgeon - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:45 am:
A smarter name would have been Illinois Cabinet on Artificial Intelligence.
- 40,000 ft - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 11:55 am:
Copyright protection?
Intellectual property protections?
I’d like to see that addressed, too.
Everything an algo-agent produces is derived from someone else’s work.
They are plagiarizers at their core.
They’d get kicked out of college if they were an 18yo human and that reckless to use other peoples’ work like they do.
- Sue - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 12:45 pm:
I don’t remember another Governor in my time in Illinois so craven in terms of seeking out publicity and cresting controversy- JB is worse then even Blagojevich
- JS Mill - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 12:58 pm:
=I don’t remember another Governor in my time in Illinois so craven…=
Bruce Rauner.
- clec dcn - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:01 pm:
AI has all sides so has to be looked at by all of us. Possibly the government could help that remains up for grabs. In my own lengthy testing with various AI forms with subjects and things I do it is mixed. Sometimes it comes up with quite good processes and other times really off. Also, different platforms have given different answers to problems. Just anecdotally I am a bicyle mechanic and wheelbuilder. I ask it a question about something I knew very well and got two opposite answers from AI. One right and another quite wrong. I assume if this is medical practices it could be dangerous.
- Annon'in - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:01 pm:
Seems like a smart move. Besides industry some involvement by higher ed types is probably needed. Might be good to get a public accounting of how much AI is already in use in the agencies and elsewhere. Don’t quite understand Blagoof reference. He was usually of for a run on this work stuff.
- Pot calling kettle - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:15 pm:
=I don’t remember another Governor in my time in Illinois so craven…=
I think your memory is not very good. JB does not hold a candle to any of his three predecessors when it comes to seeking out publicity.
To the question: Great idea, but I’ll reserve judgement until I see who is appointed to this group and then what actions they propose. I agree with Candy that a top concern is “Who is responsible for the decisions made by the AI?” This applies not only within gov’t but in the private sector as well. Assigning responsibility to top admin/exec folks will go a long way to ensuring a responsible roll-out of the technology.
- Excitable Boy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:25 pm:
- so craven in terms of seeking out publicity and cresting controversy -
I’m on EST today and even here it’s not happy hour yet. Are you under the impression up till this moment AI has not been a controversial topic?
- Candy Dogood - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:27 pm:
===Sue - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 12:45 pm:===
For all Republicans are perfect… /snark
Sometimes I think I am unfair in my criticism, but come on.
- Perrid - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:31 pm:
“Everything an algo-agent produces is derived from someone else’s work.”
That’s an opinion, or at least very debatable. Generalizing and being able to predict connections between words isn’t exactly plagiarizing.
- Demoralized - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:38 pm:
==to ensuring a responsible roll-out of the technology==
The technology is already in wide use in state government. That’s why they need to get this done as soon as possible.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:45 pm:
===Thoughts? ===
Formed too late to be useful in veto session. Not sure if they can be a force in spring session.
- City Guy - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:47 pm:
It may be part of the topics identified, but I want to see the issue of cyber fraud fully addressed. There are a lot of risks from social engineered fraud, exacerbated by AI, where people are tricked into giving away money or critical information.
- OneMan - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:48 pm:
It plays to the crowd for sure, but not the worse idea ever. Might I also suggest a ‘task-force’ or whatever to take a look at how AI can help with what appear to be the multiple state IT projects that are having challenges.
Some Other things that I suspect are out of scope and not as buzz-worthy, but worth the state taking a formal look at.
– How to make more data available in AI-friendly formats (looking at you IGB)
– Working with various state universities (not just the U of I system) to develop local models to assist state and local government
– Examining procurement on a go-forward basis where systems are required to have exposed APIs as well as pathways for MCP development.
– Looking at smaller-scale waste power data center options. For example, to use landfill methane currently being burned off to generate electricity
– The development of a secondary ‘excess power’ market to make electricity available to smaller-scale data centers.
– The encouragement of the development and use of greywater options for data centers.
– Develop statewide standards for fire management, equipment recycling, and the reuse of existing vacant infrastructure (like empty warehouses).
- Norseman - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 1:57 pm:
Craven? Craven is in the eye of the beholder. I seem to recall a Gov riding a horse in the Capitol.
- Incandenza - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 3:08 pm:
== it doesn’t seem like they are planning on including anyone from the industry ==
I think the membership is open-ended when it says “academic and subject-matter experts”. I imagine that people from the industry will be included, or at least consulted.
- Dotnonymous x - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 3:17 pm:
- I don’t remember another Governor in my time in Illinois so craven in terms of seeking out publicity and cresting controversy -
Sure you do.
- 47th Ward - Tuesday, Sep 22, 26 @ 3:46 pm:
Will they change the name to “Super Intelligence” Cabinet now that POTUS has renamed AI?