Illinois Senate Democrats to unveil new plan for AI safeguards in state

Illinois Senate Democrats are set to unveil a new plan aimed at protecting state residents from the risks of artificial intelligence.

Lawmakers say their proposal would create safeguards against AI-related threats including identity security, price gouging and mental health. The proposal will be announced in Springfield at 11:30 a.m.

The Illinois General Assembly is also locked in a rigorous debate about how to handle data centers amid the AI business boom.

The massive data centers, warehouse-like buildings housing the computer servers and other infrastructure used to power AI, are at the center of steadily growing complaints from communities about energy bills, noise and environmental impacts.

Data center developers tout property tax revenue, economic development and job creation as reasons for local governments to approve projects that could require as much energy as the city itself, or more.

Opinions on these economic benefits differ. Some Illinois mayors say data centers have worked miracles in their towns while others question whether the benefits overcome the downsides, and whether the benefits are as good as advertised.

Cities and towns around Illinois have started taking political steps to regulate and reign in AI data centers. In March, Aurora enacted ordinances to require data center developers to conduct and submit studies about noise, water consumption and energy needs They are the strictest regulations on new data centers in the state and possibly the whole country.

State lawmakers are currently debating the POWER Act, a bill that would require data centers to pay for their own energy and infrastructure to generate it, mandate transparency from data centers about their water use, and obtain permits from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency about how data centers handle wastewater and meet efficiency standards.

There have been three hearings in the House and one in the Senate about the POWER Act but it remains unclear if it will pass the General Assembly in the spring session.

Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.