AI is here to stay
Frank Knapp is right to raise concerns about artificial intelligence. The pace of change is extraordinary, and the instinct to protect consumers is a healthy one.
But we should also be practical about the limits of what state-level regulation can accomplish. AI is not a contained, domestic technology. It is global, decentralized, and increasingly open-source. Any rules passed in South Carolina will bind only responsible companies — not the actors most likely to misuse the technology.
That is why many researchers and industry groups are focusing less on restricting AI itself and more on provenance: the ability to verify whether content was created by a human or a machine. Watermarking, cryptographic signatures, and traceable metadata are not perfect solutions, but they begin to provide a way to help people distinguish authentic vs. synthetic information. And there are emerging standards (C2PA, Content Credentials) that will help.
The real threat is not the regulated AI used by Frank’s constituents. It is shadow AI — offshore, anonymous, unregulated systems that will generate political persuasion, deepfakes, and targeted manipulation without any disclosure at all. These are the tools that will shape elections, markets, and public trust unless we prepare for them now.
If we want meaningful protection, we should focus on steps that are within reach, including:
- Require provenance for AI-generated political and commercial content.
- Support national standards for watermarking and authentication.
- Invest in public digital literacy so citizens can recognize synthetic media.
AI is here to stay. Our safeguards will be strongest when they account for both the promise of responsible AI and the challenges posed by systems operating outside any rules.
— Kyle Roblee, Saint Helena Island
Ode of Thanks
The day began fine, a trip to the store.
Then on to the Post Office, nothing more.
Stamps I did buy, and now drive back home.
Things to go there, no time to go roam.
Looking in the car window, my eyes opened wide.
There was my cell phone and car key locked inside!
Two miles from home, spare key on a shelf.
I needed a ride to get it myself!
Perhaps down the block, the Police Station’s there.
They could open the car door, or had know-how to share.
Then there on a red jeep parked under a tree,
Its scarlet and gold stickers meant something to me!
You asked what was it that caught my eye?
Red and gold stickers with “Marine” and “Semper Fi”!
A dog, German Shepard, with a coat black as coal,
Sat in the jeep, he was ready to roll.
So I spoke to the driver, described to her my plight
About needing a ride to my home and back to this site.
With a pat to her dog’s head, much to his delight,
She replied, “No one left behind, isn’t that right?”
Off we went down the road, the jeep it just flew.
Driven by a Marine, one of the “Few.”
I’d served in the Fifties, so long ago.
She more recent, late 1990’s, that I do know.
We spoke of our lives, our years in the Corps.
That’s a subject that’s never ever a bore.
Born and raised in this state, she’s a local for sure.
I’m from Wisconsin, settled here via Marine Corps detour.
She trains working dogs, she spoke with a passion.
Giving me a ride, she showed her compassion.
The drive was short and within a minute,
I had my spare key and grabbed a hat to go with it.
So, back out I went, got into my seat.
A lick from her dog, guess that was a greet!
Proud of the years we spent in the Corps,
I’m sure we’ll meet again and reminisce some more.
So, from my heart, “THANKS” I do send
To Natalee, my new-found MARINE friend.
— Charlotte M. Ayers, Beaufort
Isn’t there something worth writing about besides Trump
As a regular reader of Carol Lucas’ Op-Eds in The Island News, I have to say of the last one (Jan. 8-14, 2026) “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Hamlet, Act II, scene II. Surely based on her many years in the teaching profession, there are other things in her life that are important and worth writing about besides Mr. Trump.
I suspect that she has a rich history of accomplishment and wonderful memories of bringing learning to the hundreds of children who she has known over the years. We all have a beloved teacher who made a difference in our lives, even the ones who brought us kicking and screaming to Shakespeare.
— Jim Dickson, St. Helena Island
From a Carol Lucas ‘fan’
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Carol for “Are those tears real?” Your “critic’s” comments have troubled me for months but I didn’t have the words to banish this from my consciousness. Because of your responses, I no longer feel alone and hijacked.
— Sarah Kauffman
