Exclusive: AI use booms in states, with mixed results
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State governments are rapidly embracing AI by launching low-risk pilot programs, but haven't yet figured out how to measure their impact, according to a new analysis from Code for America shared exclusively with Axios.
Why it matters: AI promises to make government more efficient and cut costs.
- But in practice, that's proving difficult to quantify and measure — and in the short term might mean more work for government staffers before there are real results.
Driving the news: Utah, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas and Vermont are the leading states on AI use in terms of "building institutional capabilities required to govern AI as a long-term public sector asset," per the report.
- The report finds that states across the U.S. are at vastly different levels of AI-readiness and fluency.
- West Virginia, Wyoming, Nebraska, Alaska, Florida and Kansas rank among the "earliest" states in their AI journeys, per the report.
Zoom in: The analysis assessed states on conditions for successful AI deployment, including leadership, training capacity, infrastructure, level of experimentation via pilots, full-on production via embedding in government operations and measurable impact.
- Conducting research, automating workflows, detecting fraud, and deploying consumer-facing chatbots are common examples of how states are using AI.
What they're saying: "The opportunity in front of us is not just about adopting new technology, but about shaping it in ways that are human-centered and grounded in real outcomes for communities," Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, said in a release.
- "When states lead with that mindset, they will do more than keep pace with innovation. They will define the future of public service in the AI era."
Go deeper: How states are making their own rules for AI (parts 1 and 2)
