This Week in Government Technology – November 17th – 24th, 2024

State-Level Updates

California’s Role in AI Legislation

California has long been at the forefront of AI regulation in the United States, setting benchmarks for state-level AI governance. However, a recent op-ed by Route Fifty raises questions about California’s future direction. As the state prepares to respond to the incoming administration’s legislative agenda, there are hints that AI regulation might take a backseat.

LA County’s Predictive Model to Combat Homelessness

Los Angeles County is piloting an AI-driven initiative that leverages data from health, social services, law enforcement, and homelessness records to predict and prevent housing insecurity. By identifying high-risk individuals and reaching out proactively, the program aims to connect those in need with services like case management, cash assistance, and legal aid.

Arizona’s AI Governance Innovations

Arizona has also been in the spotlight since passing a comprehensive AI governance policy in March. This week, Government Technology explored how the state continues to update its policies to keep pace with technological advancements, focusing on data quality and responsible AI use in public services. Arizona continues to adapt its governance to address emerging AI capabilities.

Georgia and Idaho’s AI Efforts

Georgia’s Chief Digital and AI Officer discussed the state’s efforts to craft an ethical AI policy in collaboration with academic experts. Meanwhile, Idaho’s AI Task Force was profiled by Route Fifty for its cooperative approach in supporting state legislators to shape the AI policy landscape, emphasizing collaboration across expertise.

AI Adoption in Policing

Last month, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) met in Boston, where a strong push was made for AI adoption by local departments. The event underlined the rising focus on AI’s role in modern policing as vendors showcased technologies intended to transform everything from crime prediction to community engagement.

StateScoop Interview and Amazon’s AI Survey

StateScoop published a 20-minute interview with Chris Hein from Google’s Public Sector team, shedding light on how AI is helping state and local governments modernize legacy IT systems. On the same note, Amazon Web Services released a survey this week highlighting public sector concerns about AI implementation. The survey highlighted concerns about maintaining public trust in AI adoption.

Federal-Level Updates

Federal AI Policy in Flux

A new survey by the Data Foundation and Deloitte reveals that Chief Data Officers across federal agencies are almost unanimous in their call for a more coordinated federal AI strategy.

Anthropic and OpenAI Eye FedRAMP Authorization

On the private-sector front, Anthropic has entered talks with federal authorities to secure FedRAMP authorization, aiming to bring its AI technologies into government operations more swiftly. OpenAI, too, has been pursuing this certification since the summer, highlighting the interest of AI companies in working directly with federal agencies.

Federal Legislation and Initiatives

In legislative news, the “Modernizing Data Practices to Improve Government Act” has moved out of a bipartisan House committee, paving the way for a potential House vote. The bill seeks to assess and overhaul federal data governance, modernizing data infrastructures across agencies. Meanwhile, the IRS’s Advisory Council has made recommendations to expand the agency’s customer service chatbots, and the USDA is funding a Michigan pilot that uses AI to help farmers access federal grants—demonstrating how federal agencies are applying AI to improve public services.