This Week in Government Technology – October 20th–27th, 2024

AI Legislation Momentum Grows

The Software Alliance (BSA) released a comprehensive report analyzing the recent surge in AI-related legislation across the United States. According to their findings, 693 pieces of AI legislation were introduced across 45 states and the federal government in 2024—a significant increase from 191 bills in 2023. The BSA draws a parallel to the early days of consumer privacy law in the mid-2000s and mid-2010s, suggesting that the rapid pace of AI legislation is only set to intensify in 2025. However, the report also warns that, unlike those privacy laws, there is currently no unified approach to AI legislation, creating a patchwork that may hinder effective governance. The report urges lawmakers to take a more coordinated approach as AI legislation expands.

Chatbot Adoption: Revolutionizing Government Services

A major report from the University at Albany, State University of New York, highlighted the widespread adoption of AI chatbots across local and state governments throughout 2023 and 2024. The study found that AI-powered chatbots have proven to be one of the most impactful innovations for government service delivery in decades. By deploying chatbots, agencies have significantly reduced administrative workloads, improved communication, and minimized customer support wait times. However, the report identified a key oversight: many chatbot implementations lack systems to track customer satisfaction and complaints. With AI governance becoming increasingly focused on accountability, this is an area where agencies need to catch up.

New Federal Guidelines for AI in Defense

The Biden administration has issued new rules to guide defense and intelligence agencies on using and deploying AI. The framework aims to establish consistent practices to help these agencies deploy AI responsibly, minimizing systemic bias and safeguarding civil and privacy rights. While the White House hopes these standards will accelerate AI adoption within defense agencies, some civil rights advocates, including the ACLU, have expressed concerns that the guidelines might not be stringent enough to prevent potential abuses.

Spotlight on DoD’s GigEagle Platform

In related news, the Department of Defense is scaling its AI-powered GigEagle platform, which matches personnel with specialized skills to temporary work opportunities across the Pentagon. This platform allows public sector employees to engage in 90-day specialized roles outside their regular duties, helping the DoD meet unique needs without hiring additional personnel. This system will soon expand to cover most DoD divisions, enhancing the Pentagon’s flexibility in talent utilization.

State and Local AI Developments

At the state level, Mississippi’s CIO announced efforts to create a state AI task force to help the state catch up on AI deployment. Albuquerque’s City Council also passed a resolution to establish a municipal AI working group focused on local AI governance. Meanwhile, several exciting new AI initiatives have been launched this week: California’s fire department is deploying AI to detect wildfires before they become serious threats, and the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority is using AI to detect weapons in the metro. The National Archives is also piloting an AI-powered search system to enhance the complexity and precision of digital searches within the federal archives.

Podcast Highlight: AI and CMS

For those interested in deeper insights, StateScoop featured an insightful podcast interview this week with the head of the Center for Medicaid Services’ Digital Services team. The discussion covered integrating AI technologies into CMS services and administrative workflows—a promising area for improving efficiency and service delivery.