Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost and Florida Democrats Press DeSantis Administration for Answers on Planned Use of AI in SNAP Eligibility Determinations

Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost and Florida Democrats Press DeSantis Administration for Answers on Planned Use of AI in SNAP Eligibility Determinations

Lawmakers Raise Alarm Over Florida's Rush to Use AI in SNAP Program

ORLANDO, FL - Today, Congressman Maxwell Alejandro Frost (FL-10) and members of the Florida Democratic Congressional Delegation-Kathy Castor (FL-14), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Jared Moskowitz (FL-23), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Darren Soto (FL-9), and Frederica Wilson (FL-24) sent a letter to Florida Deputy Secretary Williams and Governor Ron DeSantis demanding answers about the state's plan to use artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce Florida's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) error rate.

"We understand that the state must act urgently to address the impending budgetary crisis created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. However, we are concerned with one of the state's proposed solutions: the appropriation of $4 million in state funds for the new and relatively unproven technology of AI to identify the SNAP error rate," wrote the Members.

"The state is moving on an extraordinarily accelerated timeline to procure an AI vendor by September 1, yet Floridians have received little information about how that vendor will be selected or what safeguards will be in place," continued the Members. "We are seeking answers about the vendor's qualifications, the accuracy of its AI tools, protections against bias, human oversight of AI decision-making, transparency, appeals for affected SNAP recipients, and whether the state has contingency plans if it fails to meet its procurement deadline."

For a copy of the letter, please click here.

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