Cary Coglianese, the Edward B. Shils Professor of Law and Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and Director of the Penn Program on Regulation, and Richard A. Berk, Emeritus Professor of Criminology and Statistics at Penn and a PPR faculty affiliate, have been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence by the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission. The committee, established to explore the impact and potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in Pennsylvania, comprises experts from academia, industry, and government.
The committee, created by House Resolution 170 and adopted on July 3, 2024, is tasked with delivering a comprehensive report on the impact of AI in Pennsylvania by January 2026. This report will investigate the transformative potential of AI across various sectors, such as industries, labor markets, education, transportation, and regulatory frameworks. In addition, the report will provide recommendations on how Pennsylvania can capitalize on AI advancements while addressing ethical, economic, academic, and societal risks.
Coglianese’s appointment to the committee underscores his expertise at the intersection of law, technology, and public policy. He has led research and informed a wide range of policymakers on how emerging technologies like AI can be effectively regulated to promote transparency, fairness, and accountability while still delivering benefits from innovation. His interdisciplinary background and focus on ensuring that AI benefits society while mitigating risks make him a key voice in tackling some of today’s most consequential regulatory challenges. In 2020, he authored a framework report to the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) that contributed to ACUS’s adoption of guidance on federal agencies’ use of AI. He is an elected member of the American Law Institute and a fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration.
Berk is a leading expert in machine learning and predictive analytics. He has studied the use of AI tools for several decades while addressing problems in criminal justice, environmental monitoring, and climate change. He is a creator of algorithms that have been used to improve prison safety for inmates and staff, reduce illegal bycatch in commercial fishing, and improve fairness for convicted offenders under parole or probation supervision. Berk is currently working with a colleague at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory developing algorithms that accurately forecast several weeks in advance extreme climate events such as life-threatening heat waves. Berk is a fellow of the American Statistical Association and American Association for the Advancement of Science and has been a frequent commentator on AI technology and applications.
With AI poised to reshape industries and governance, Coglianese’s and Berk’s insights and extensive research on AI offer guidance on developing thoughtful, balanced policies that allow for productive innovation while also suitably addressing important public concerns.
