Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson has appointed 18 members to the newly created Artificial Intelligence (AI) Task Force in the Attorney General’s Office.
The AI Task Force will bring together technology experts, industry representatives, labor organizations, civil liberty groups and other stakeholders to discuss AI benefits and challenges in Washington state. The Task Force will issue findings, guiding principles, and submit reports with policy recommendations.
“The impact of Artificial Intelligence in our economy and daily lives is an urgent issue of our time,” Ferguson said. “Washington will lead on innovative and ethical AI, as we have in so many areas. I appreciate the task force members for committing their time and expertise, exemplifying why Washington is a technology leader in this country.”
To create the Task Force, Ferguson partnered with state Sen. Joe Nguyen and state Rep. Travis Couture. The two state representatives introduced legislation to establish the task force, which eventually passed with bipartisan support.
The Task Force members are:
- State Sen. Joe Nguyen, a Democrat;
- State Sen. Matt Boehnke, a Republican;
- State Rep. Clyde Shavers, a Democrat;
- A member of the State House Republican Caucus to be determined;
- Sheri Sawyer, deputy director of Policy and Outreach, Governor’s Office;
- Rick Talbert, senior project advisor, Auditor’s Office;
- Katy Ruckle, state chief privacy officer, Washington Technology Solutions;
- Magdalena Balazinska, director, Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington;
- Kelly Fukai, vice president of Government and Community Affairs, Washington Technology Industry Association;
- Ryan Harkins, senior director of Public Policy, Microsoft;
- Tee Sannon, technology policy program director, ACLU-Washington;
- Vicky Tamaru, buildJUSTLY;
- Paula Sardinas, WA Build Back Black Alliance;
- Leah Koshiyama, senior director of Responsible AI and Tech, Salesforce;
- Crystal Leatherman, Washington Retail Association;
- Montana Miranda, senior manager of Government Affairs, Washington Hospitality Association;
- Cherika Carter, secretary treasurer, Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and
- Chief Darrell Lowe, Redmond Police Department.
According to the Attorney General’s office, the Task Force will include the following subcommittees:
- Education and workforce development;
- Public safety and ethics;
- Health care and accessibility;
- Labor;
- Government and public sector efficiency;
- State security and cybersecurity;
- Consumer protection and privacy; and
- Industry and innovation.
In addition to these subcommittees, the Task Force may create additional subcommittees as needed. The Attorney General’s Office will also establish a Tribal advisory group and a Business advisory group to provide regular updates to the task force on issues specific to developing, deploying and using AI in businesses across the state.
The first Task Force meeting will be this summer. After the first meeting, the task force will meet at least twice a year. The task force’s final report and recommendations are due to the governor and Legislature July 1, 2026.
