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Rules Committee approves amended AI inventory ordinance to require public inventory and impact assessment standard
Summary
The committee voted to send to the full Board an ordinance ordering the city's CIO to publish a public inventory of AI tools used by the city and to develop an impact-assessment standard; the CIO described guidance, training pilots and the need for governance while a public commenter urged safeguards on bias and environmental impacts.
The San Francisco Rules Committee on Nov. 18 voted to forward to the full Board legislation that would require the city’s chief information officer to compile and publish a public inventory of artificial-intelligence products procured or used by city departments and to develop a procurement impact-assessment standard.
Supervisor Ronan introduced the ordinance and proposed minor amendments recommended by civil-liberties experts. Chief Information Officer Michael Maxman described existing department guidance, a citywide survey of staff AI use, pilot training partnerships and a short-term secured platform offered to city staff for experimentation. Maxman said the city has issued guidance encouraging staff to fact-check generative outputs, disclose AI use on produced materials, and avoid entering sensitive information into public tools; he described efforts to expand training and to evaluate tools’ financial and operational implications before large rollouts.
A public commenter urged the city to adopt accountability mechanisms for biased outputs and to consider environmental costs tied to AI infrastructure. The committee adopted the sponsor’s amendments and voted to send the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation; recorded committee votes were aye from Member Ronan, Member Peskin and Chair Walton, and the motion passed without objection.
Next steps: The ordinance will go before the full Board, and the CIO’s office will be responsible for assembling the inventory and reporting on compliance and any notices of noncompliance the CIO deems valid.
