In 2024, the Powerful Potential of AI Took Hold

While 2023 may have been dominated by chatbot buzz, 2024 has ushered in a new era where AI’s powerful potential in government is becoming evident — alongside the growing realization of its potential risks. Innovative applications have emerged, particularly in areas like emergency response and citizen services. AI has become a popular new tool in wildfire detection with advanced cameras combing landscapes for signs of smoke to improve early detection rates. Agencies are also using AI for constituent-facing work, like slashing response times and eliminating backlogs in permit processing.

Meanwhile, a cascade of task forces and councils have emerged to create guardrails and policies for how state and local governments should use AI. This drive for control has extended beyond individual agencies. The need for clear guidelines and responsible AI has spurred new collaborative efforts, such as the GovAI Coalition. Founded in San Jose in late 2023, this initiative calls upon local governments to actively shape the future of AI, fostering an open discussion across diverse agencies. Offering resources like AI fact sheets, vendor agreements and use case templates has caused the coalition to grow rapidly — more than 350 agencies are now members.

Meanwhile, within agencies, the push for accountability has manifested in practical measures. Rules mandating AI inventories became common to ensure transparency and oversight of AI tools. Additionally, a trend emerged in creating dedicated AI leadership positions, signaling a commitment to strategic and responsible AI integration.


2024 has also been a stark reminder that AI’s transformative power hinges on the quality of its fuel: data. While many governments have long embraced data-driven decision-making, the rise of AI has exposed the critical need for meticulous data governance and hygiene. Experts warn that without thorough data audits, AI initiatives risk becoming expensive failures. Dirty data can lead to biased, inaccurate or even harmful outcomes which may erode public trust and waste valuable resources.

The year has also given way to AI’s darker side: the potential for amplified cyber attacks. Ever more realistic deepfakes, voice cloning and hyper-personalized phishing attacks powered by AI threaten to exploit vulnerabilities more successfully than ever before. Nonprofit organizations like CivAI are working to help, teaching policymakers what hackers can do with publicly available tools so agencies can build their cyber defenses accordingly.

The transformative potential of AI has also ignited concerns about a new digital divide. Those unfamiliar with AI may struggle to keep pace, while biased training data could perpetuate existing inequalities in decision-making. But governments are playing an important role in avoiding that complication. Public libraries, for instance, are leading the way by offering workshops and resources that empower citizens to understand and harness AI’s potential. Additionally, AI offers a beacon of hope for those with disabilities, with the potential that emerging technologies hold to create a more accessible and inclusive digital landscape. The challenge lies in ensuring that the benefits of AI are shared by all, regardless of background or ability.

This story originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Government Technology magazine. Click here to view the full digital edition online.