With the rise of artificial intelligence, internet access is no longer just a convenience. It’s a necessity.
Hawaii Center for AI is deeply concerned about the potential loss of the Affordable Connectivity Program, a vital lifeline for millions of Americans, including many in Hawaii and the broader Pacific region.
For those who aren’t familiar, ACP was a federal program that provided a subsidy for low-income households so that they could purchase basic internet service. The pandemic-era funding for the program has ended, and even though the program has had strong bipartisan support, it is yet to be renewed.
We understand that ACP is very much on life support, with congressional action seeming less and less likely before the 2024 elections. That’s a shame. Even since ACP’s inception during the Covid pandemic’s conclusion, the importance of internet access has only grown.
Today, with the rise of artificial intelligence, internet access is no longer just a convenience; it’s a necessity for full participation in society. Congress must act to find a way for ACP to continue.
Experiences From The Front Lines
Through leading dozens of AI workshops for people from all walks of life throughout urban and rural Hawaii, we have shared experiences with hundreds of individuals grappling with AI’s potential to reshape their lives and livelihoods.
Our constituents grapple with critical questions: Can they take advantage of AI, or will it take advantage of them? What about their jobs? How can AI shape their children’s futures? What are the roles of government and community with respect to AI?
These concerns underscore the urgency of bridging the digital divide, a growing fracture in the middle of society that AI threatens to turn into a chasm.
Hawaii Center for AI is dedicated to empowering individuals to cross this divide while they can, ensuring that everyone can benefit from AI’s potential rather than be left behind. Cutting off internet access for those most vulnerable to AI’s disruptions would be a devastating blow, akin to severing a lifeline at a crucial moment.
The Critical Role Of ACP
AI is rapidly transforming our lives, from education and healthcare to the job market and social interactions. Reliable high-speed internet is crucial to harnessing these benefits. ACP is indispensable in the context of AI because it:
- Empowers educational equity: AI-powered tools are revolutionizing learning, but without internet access, disadvantaged students miss out on these opportunities and could fall further behind peers with AI access.
- Unlocks economic opportunities: AI is re-architecting the workplace, creating new roles in AI deployment and data analysis. ACP provides the necessary connectivity for people to gain the basic AI familiarity most workers are likely to need to compete in tomorrow’s job markets.
- Promotes awareness and protection against AI-driven threats: As AI technologies advance, they also carry potential risks, such as sophisticated fraud schemes and the spread of misinformation. By keeping people connected, ACP can help millions of American households stay informed about AI and safe from bad actors with AI.
- Enables informed participation in AI policy: Critical decisions about AI are being made now. Denying millions of Americans internet access would exclude them from understanding and influencing these policies.
AI Makes ACP A Better Investment
Data published in numerous studies highlight AI’s potential to generate economic value on the order of trillions of dollars in the global economy. While no investment is without cost, ensuring universal connectivity in the face of this AI-driven growth is not just a matter of social justice — it’s a strategic economic imperative.
By maintaining connections for the millions of American households that have relied on ACP, we unlock their potential to contribute to and benefit from this burgeoning AI economy, potentially generating substantial returns on investment.
In short: ACP was already a good deal, but AI has the potential to make it golden.
Call To Action
As Congress deliberates on the future of ACP, it is crucial to recognize the program’s significant role in promoting digital equity in the age of AI. The continuation of affordable high-speed internet plans by providers like Hawaiian Telcom is commendable, but it is not a substitute for a fully funded ACP.
We must urge our lawmakers to restore funding for ACP to ensure that all Americans can access the internet’s opportunities and resources, especially those driven by AI.
As the executive director of the Hawaii Center for AI, and with my work background in digital equity, I see firsthand the transformative power of first internet connectivity and now artificial intelligence.
Let’s work together to make sure everybody that wants to take advantage of that power can do so, regardless of social class or circumstance.
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