That was how Arkansas CTO Jonathan Askins described his perspective on generative AI for government at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) Annual Conference in Minneapolis this week.
It’s a cautious approach that speaks to the need to make sure the right policies are in place as states begin to roll out these new tools in ways that are ethical, free from bias, and maintain security and resident privacy. Many IT leaders shared Askins’ sentiment, including Texas CIO Amanda Crawford, who emphasized why it’s so critical to stand up those guardrails.
“There are a lot of things that are rolled into generative AI because of the unique role government has in that our constituents have to do business with us. They don’t have a choice,” Crawford said. “And because of that there’s a greater responsibility to make sure we’re implementing those technologies carefully.”
While Askins sees use cases for generative AI in Arkansas, like improving the process of applying for Medicare or other state benefits, he explains that government has to get it right the first time, because they won’t get a second chance.
