The US Department of Transportation (DOT) is reportedly using artificial intelligence, specifically Google's Gemini, to draft safety regulations for critical transportation sectors like air travel, cars, and pipelines. This initiative, aimed at significantly speeding up the rulemaking process – from months down to potentially under 30 minutes – has raised serious concerns among DOT staff and external experts.
The core of the worry stems from AI's known propensity for 'hallucinations' and confi dently presenting inaccurate or fabricated information. Critics argue that relying on AI for drafting such vital safety rules, which have profound implications for public safety, could lead to flawed legislation. Such errors might not only result in costly lawsuits but, more importantly, could cause injuries or even fatalities within the transportation system. Despite these anxieties, DOT's top lawyer, Gregory Zerzan, has stated the objective is not perfection but rather a "good enough" rule to expedite the process.
Staffers interviewed by ProPublica expressed deep skepticism, highlighting the intricate nature of regulatory drafting which typically requires decades of expertise in subject matter, statutes, existing regulations, and case law. A demonstration of Gemini's drafting capabilities reportedly produced a document with missing crucial text, underscoring the need for human oversight. This concern is amplified by recent instances of AI errors impacting legal proceedings, where fabricated information has misled legal professionals and judges. The implications of faulty safety rules are immense, potentially affecting everything from aircraft safety to preventing pipeline explosions and derailments of trains carrying hazardous materials.
The push for AI-driven rulemaking appears to be gaining momentum, with suggestions that former President Trump is highly enthusiastic about the DOT's initiative, viewing it as a potential blueprint for other federal agencies. The DOT anticipates AI handling a substantial portion of regulatory writing, with human oversight eventually relegated to monitoring AI-generated content. Meanwhile, Google is actively promoting Gemini for government use, offering competitive pricing and positioning the DOT as a leading agency in its digital transformation journey, aiming for the safest and most efficient transportation system globally.
Fuente Original: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/wildly-irresponsible-dots-use-of-ai-to-draft-safety-rules-sparks-concerns/
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