1 week Ago By The Associated Press
PHOENIX — Arizona's highest court has created a pair of AI-generated avatars to deliver news of every ruling issued by the justices, marking what is believed to be the first example in the U.S. of a state court system tapping artificial intelligence to build more human-like characters to connect with the public.
A court in Florida uses an animated chatbot to help visitors navigate its website, but the Arizona Supreme Court is charting new territory with the creation of Victoria and Daniel. Made of pixels, the two avatars have a different job in that they serve as the face of news coming from the court just as a spokesperson made of flesh and blood would do — but faster. For officials with the Arizona Supreme Court, their venture into AI is rooted in a desire to promote trust and confidence in the judicial system.
There was a protest outside the state Capitol last April and calls for two justices to be booted after the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that a Civil War-era law that banned nearly all abortions, except when a woman's life is in jeopardy, could be enforced. Emotions flared on both sides of the issue. 'It's fun': Justice Melissa Hart joins counterparts in advocating for state supreme court clerkships When Chief Justice Ann Timmer took over the court last summer, she made public trust a key pillar of her platform.
She had already been thinking about ways to reach out to the public using digital media for a few years, and the abortion ruling, among other rulings, helped her to solidify the idea that the court needs to be part of the narrative as people learn about opinions and what they mean. Created with a program called Creatify, Daniel and Victoria in a way bring to life the court's news releases. Court spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez said producing a video usually can take hours, he said, but an AI-generated video is ready in about 30 minutes.
PHOENIX — Phoenix flirted with its first 100-degree day of the year on March 25, falling just short of the milestone. Forecasters had signaled the temperature at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport could hit 100, marking what would have been the earliest date on record for the city to hit triple digits. The airport ended up one degree shy at 99 degrees on the afternoon of March 25.
On average, Phoenix doesn't reach 100 until May 11, the National Weather Service said. The heat was a blip in a week where temperatures are expected to dip the next two days under cloud cover, with another drop following over the weekend, the weather service said. Denver offering places to cool down during expected triple digit heat wave Still, the uptick in heat was enough to leave people dreading what the summer has in store.
Last year was a scorcher. A heat wave that stretched into October set an annual record of 70 days with the highs reaching or passing 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Maricopa County public health officials confirmed 602 heat-related deaths in 2024, with another eight being investigated for possible heat causes, according to a preliminary report.
Officials say those numbers represent the first decrease in heat deaths since 2014 in a county with about 4.5 million residents. SALT LAKE CITY — Utah became the first state to prohibit flying LGBTQ+ pride flags at schools and all government buildings after the Republican governor announced he was allowing a ban on unsanctioned flag displays to become law without his signature.
Gov. Spencer Cox, who made the announcement late on the night of March 27, said he continued to have serious concerns with the policy but chose not to reject it because his veto would likely be overridden by the Republican-controlled legislature. Starting May 7, state or local government buildings will be fined $500 a day for flying any flag other than the United States flag, the Utah state flag, military flags or a short list of others approved by lawmakers.
Political flags supporting a certain candidate or party, such as President Donald Trump's signature "Make America Great Again" flags, are not allowed. Republican congressional candidate rejects Colorado GOP's endorsement over call to burn Pride flags The new law could stoke conflict between the state and its largest city. City buildings in liberal Salt Lake City typically honor Pride Month each June by displaying flags that celebrate its large LGBTQ+ population.
Local leaders have illuminated the Salt Lake City and County Building in rainbow lights to protest the flag ban each night since the legislature sent it to Cox's desk. The bill's Republican sponsors, Rep. Trevor Lee and Sen.
Dan McCay, said it's meant to encourage "political neutrality" from teachers and other government employees. Opponents argued it aims to erase LGBTQ+ expression and take authority away from cities and towns that don't align politically with the Republican legislature. SANTA FE — A bill that would create a "turquoise" safety alert system for missing Native American people in New Mexico has been endorsed by the legislature.
A vote of the state Senate without opposition on March 20 sent the rapid response initiative to New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who supports the proposal. The bill responds to a troubling number of disappearances and killings in Indian Country — and would allow law enforcement to quickly share information about Native Americans who go missing.
The "turquoise alert" system — taking its name from the blue-green mineral — would function much like existing "amber" and "silver" alerts that highlight the disappearance of children and the elderly. Cellphone alerts would be issued when law enforcement finds evidence of imminent danger in the disappearance of a Native American. Colorado legislature approves new office, alert system for missing and murdered Indigenous people New Mexico has 23 federally recognized tribes, including large portions of the Navajo Nation, as well as land holdings of the Fort Sill Apache.
The safety and concerns of those communities were on prominent display during a 60-day legislative session that ended on March 22. A bill signed on March 20 by Lujan Grisham ensures students can wear their own Native American regalia at graduation and other school ceremonies in the spirit of free expression linked to cultural heritage. Utah will be first state to ban fluoride in public drinking water systems | OUT WEST ROUNDUP Montana legislature green-lights Medicaid expansion as Congress eyes cuts | OUT WEST ROUNDUP Shipments of uranium ore can resume under agreement reached with Navajo Nation | OUT WEST ROUNDUP.
