What happened

On September 16, 2026, South Carolina, a U.S. state, held the first meeting of its Special Senate Committee on Artificial Intelligence. The committee is a group of lawmakers studying one subject. This meeting did not create a new AI law. It began a planned, multiyear review of artificial intelligence in state government, education, law enforcement, and other public services. The committee may later recommend new rules or wider government use of AI. Live 5 News report

Why the definition comes first

South Carolina does not currently have a legal definition of artificial intelligence. Legislative staff told the committee that 33 states have written AI definitions into law, while 17 states have not. Those definitions are not necessarily the same. The point is that lawmakers must decide what the word covers before they can decide which tools or uses should follow rules.

At the hearing, University of South Carolina professor Bryant Walker Smith explained that AI can be defined in several ways. A definition might focus on the technology itself, systems such as chatbots, or uses such as medical advice. It might also ask whether a system replaces people, assists them, or changes its judgment after receiving new information. ABC Columbia report

Why this matters

This is not just a vocabulary exercise. A definition sets the boundary for future policy. If the boundary is too broad, ordinary software could face rules meant for more advanced systems. If it is too narrow, a system that affects public decisions might be missed. The definition can also shape questions about responsibility, testing, and human review.

Senators asked experts about bias, possible consciousness, and systems operating beyond human control. These were questions for future study, not findings that such events have occurred. The discussion showed that lawmakers are thinking about both practical risks and more distant possibilities.

The hearing also included an argument for adoption. Homayoun Valafar, director of the University of South Carolina’s AI Institute, urged the state to use AI where it can help. He said it could save money and increase efficiency. That is an expert recommendation, not proof that savings will happen. The committee must still decide how to measure benefits and who remains accountable when a system makes a mistake.

What is confirmed

The official state website lists nine committee members and identifies Senator Tom Young as chair. The committee is expected to continue its work through 2028, although members hope to produce recommendations sooner. ABC Columbia reported that Young said future AI rules are not expected to apply to private companies. That statement describes the current direction of the discussion, not a final law. South Carolina Senate committee page

What remains unknown

No final definition has been approved. No complete list of allowed or banned uses has been published. It is also unclear whether every government decision involving AI would require human approval, how bias would be tested, and how residents could challenge an automated result. The committee has not yet produced a bill or a complete regulatory framework.

What to watch next

Future meetings will show whether lawmakers study AI as one large subject or begin with a narrow area, such as education or government services. Expert testimony and public comments may influence the definition. The key milestone is the recommendation report planned for 2028. After that, lawmakers would still need to decide whether the recommendations should become legislation.

For now, South Carolina has not answered how AI should be governed. It has started by asking a more basic question: what exactly should count as AI?