Federal AI Initiatives
Google Public Sector released its annual survey of state and local government IT leaders, finding a notable decrease in concern around some common risks associated with AI adoption. Compared to last year:
- 6% fewer leaders expressed concern about whether their staff would be AI-ready and well-trained.
- 20% fewer reported worries about the impact of AI on government data security.
- 13% fewer were concerned about risks to citizen privacy.
According to Google Public Sector, these shifts suggest growing confidence among public sector leaders in managing AI responsibly and securely within government operations.
State AI Initiatives
New York
Governor Kathy Hochul announced an expansion of the Empire AI consortium, a public-private research partnership backed by $165 million in new funding. The consortium’s work includes an “AI for Good” initiative focused on applying AI to public challenges such as food insecurity, education, government operations, climate change, cybersecurity, and health care.
Indianapolis
After identifying a gap in AI policy awareness among city employees, Indianapolis is partnering with InnovateUS to create AI policy training for its workforce. The program will educate staff about internal AI use guidelines and responsible implementation. Indianapolis joins states like California, New Jersey, and Maryland in working with InnovateUS on similar efforts.
Utah
Utah’s state CIO shared updates on current AI projects, including work to implement retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) technology within the state tax agency and develop AI-powered digital assistants for customer service across state agencies. These projects are part of Utah’s broader strategy to modernize government services through AI tools.