Clark County sets policy on AI in workplace

By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com

County officials and employees are expected to abide by a policy related to Artificial Intelligence.

The Clark County Quorum Court voted unanimously this week in favor of an ordinance establishing boundaries when it comes to using AI in the workplace. The ordinance allows public officials to use AI to draft certain non-confidential documents, summarize publicly available information, brainstorm ideas and aid in certain research, among other uses. On the other hand, the ordinance prohibits generating false content, making decisions that involve legal interpretation, personnel actions, service eligibility or enforcement actions, or relying on AI output as a sole source for legal, medical, financial or compliance advice, among other prohibited uses.

The policy, drafted and recommended by the Association of Arkansas Counties, comes on the heels of an AI mishap in Benton that made headlines across the state. In late July, the Saline County Sheriff’s Office admitted to using AI to edit a social media photo from a drug bust that displayed more than $3,000 in cash, guns and drugs. The center of the notes was omitted in the photo, which the department said it edited with AI to clean up the background of its cluttered patrol room. 

Justices adopted the Clark County policy with an emergency clause. There was no discussion about the ordinance or the policy, which is being referred to the Personnel Committee for further review.

In other Quorum Court business, justices heard an annual report from Clark County Library Director Betsy Fisher, who said the past year gave way to a decrease in attendance and circulation. Fisher also answered a question from Justice Llewellyn Terry regarding whether the library is complying with a new state law requiring libraries to limit access to materials some consider obscene or harmful to minors. Fisher replied that the law remains in limbo with the court system, and contended that limiting access violates First Amendment rights.

Justices also took up an impromptu vote to demolish a pair of South 4th Street homes the county bought from Ron Addington in 2024. It still remains unclear what the county’s intentions are with those lots, located on the southeastern corner of the block where the county-owned  armory building stands.