Shaping AI Policy: Dr. Daniel Schiff Leads Workshop with Indiana Legislators
As a subject matter expert in technology policy and AI governance, Assistant Professor Dr. Daniel Schiff led a workshop in Indianapolis on March 18 in collaboration with the Future Caucus to explore the growing need to consider artificial intelligence (AI) in policymaking. The Future Caucus is a national, nonpartisan organization that works with young policymakers at the federal and state levels, bringing them together across party lines to address modern-day legislative issues and develop effective policies. The Indiana cohort is chaired by Rep. Beau Baird (R) and Rep. Maureen Bauer (D).
During the session, Dr. Schiff provided an overview of the national and global AI policy landscape, discussed legislative trends and key challenges facing lawmakers, and shared resources that Indiana legislators can use to build their understanding of AI and develop their own policy proposals. Some of these resources were created by the center Dr. Schiff co-directs at Purdue, the Governance and Responsible AI Lab (GRAIL), housed in Purdue's Department of Political Science in the College of Liberal Arts.
“As the AI governance landscape continues to grow and become more complex, lawmakers and policy stakeholders are increasingly seeking to be equipped to understand AI. It's non-trivial to understand how it can be employed usefully and responsibly in domains like education, labor and workforce, and how it affects issues like elections and cybersecurity, among other priorities,” Dr. Schiff remarked. “Our researchers are empowering legislators to have these discussions, locally and nationally, through GRAIL and the recently launched Academic Alliance for AI Policy.”
Indiana, in particular, has seen an increasing number of legislative proposals related to AI in recent years. In 2024, Indiana lawmakers established an AI task force through Senate Bill 150 to study and assess the use of AI technology by state agencies. Other recent legislation, including House Bill 1047, has addressed deepfakes used in nonconsensual intimate imagery. Across the country, states are implementing AI legislation addressing deepfakes and misinformation, labor impacts, consumer protection, education, healthcare, and general risk management. These developments make it increasingly important for lawmakers to have a solid foundation in AI technology and governance.
AI continues to evolve at a rapid pace, and understanding how the technology works, its capabilities and limitations, and the role government should play in regulating and enabling it represents new territory for some lawmakers. To help address this learning curve, GRAIL is filling key gaps in academic research and creating accessible tools and resources to empower policymakers.
One such resource is AGORA (Artificial Intelligence Governance Regulatory Archive). Created by Georgetown University's Center for Security and Emerging Technology and GRAIL, this database aims to organize and analyze national, state, and local legislation in the United States related to AI. Additional resources available to state lawmakers include the AI Policy Toolkit and Deepfakes Database, both created by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), as well as sector-specific guidance curated by Schiff addressing issues such as the future of labor, education, and AI adoption in the public sector.
“It's critical for academics to collaborate with policymakers to navigate these conversations as key decisions across many policy domains become more pressing, including here in Indiana,” said Schiff. “Our talented students and faculty are passionate about empowering decision-makers to think through AI policy and all the areas it affects, and it's always a pleasure to have the chance to work with our own local legislators to bring about an AI-enabled future that provides benefits to our communities.”
Read more about the training session with the Indiana Future Caucus and learn more about GRAIL's work through the Academic Alliance for AI Policy.