Republican Tom Tiffany and Democrat David Crowley are staking out positions on artificial intelligence as the technology reshapes government, the economy, and the state's energy landscape.
Artificial intelligence is driving demand for hyperscale AI data centers — including one in Port Washington — and has become a major flashpoint in the Wisconsin governor's race.
TMJ4 News reporter Charles Brenson has more on how each candidate is tackling the issue in Wisconsin:
Republicans have criticized Crowley for suggesting Wisconsin could become a "global hub" for data centers, even as his campaign ads call for accountability from the industry.
"Hold data centers accountable and make them pay," a Crowley campaign commercial said.
Democrats have criticized Tiffany for voting on a House bill to fast-track data centers, but the SPEED Act stalled in the Senate. He also supported a proposed 10-year moratorium that would have blocked state efforts to restrict AI data centers. The Senate later removed that provision.
Tiffany's campaign ads push back on the industry as well.
"Stop Wall Street from buying our homes — big data from bulldozing our farms," a Tiffany campaign commercial said.
The next governor will have to navigate Wisconsin through the fast-changing world of artificial intelligence and determine how it can be used across state government.
State agencies are currently allowed to use AI to "leverage their capabilities in gaining unique insights, problem solving, and enhancing productivity," according to the state's website.
Employees are asked to be "vigilant in using generative AI tools" and are "prohibited from sharing Non-Public Information with any generative AI platform that has not been authorized."
The state also directs employees to "exercise critical judgment and verify the completeness and accuracy of all information from any AI platform."
Tiffany said he sees a need for privacy protections and a measured approach to the technology's expansion.
"Certainly have concerns. There needs to be guardrails. I think we need to make sure we protect people's privacy. We need to make sure people's data is not being sent to, especially adversaries, including communist China, who's always trying to harvest our data," Tiffany said. "So I think there needs to be some guardrails around this that we need to take a, a bit of a go slow approach."
He said the technology carries both promise and risk.
"I think it's like any technology. There are benefits to it, but there's also risks, and that's what we need to do is that assessment," Tiffany said.
Crowley said AI should serve as a tool for workers, not a replacement for human decision-making.
"I think that artificial intelligence, it can be used as a tool, but it should not replace human judgment. It shouldn't be the end all, be all. And I believe that we need to have strict guardrails here in the state of Wisconsin," Crowley said.
Crowley said protecting jobs and personal data would guide his approach to deploying AI in state government.
"Well, one, I don't think artificial intelligence should be replacing our jobs. I wanted to increase and enhance our efficiencies and be able to assist all of our workers within a state government," Crowley said. "But again, we have to make sure those protections are there, making sure there aren't any personal identifiers out there, that the privacy, the accountability, but also the public knows exactly how we're utilize."
This story was reported on-air by Charles Benson and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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