Artificial Intelligence in State Government IT Operations, released earlier this week by the National Association of State Technology Directors (NASTD), documents findings from 42 states on AI sentiments and plans. NASTD represents IT professionals in all 50 states.
Overall, states are taking varied approaches when it comes to responsible AI advancement, from task forces to sandbox environments. And even while governments address the rapid advance of AI, it is critical to acknowledge that AI is already widely in use among agencies.
The survey was distributed to 50 state central IT authorities in May using questions developed by NASTD’s Research Committee. The eight states that did not respond were California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Oregon.
NASTD released survey results Tuesday ahead of the group’s Annual Conference and Technology Showcase, Sunday through Wednesday in Minneapolis, Minn.
Among the survey’s key findings, cybersecurity is the primary internal state function in which respondents said they are using AI; and it tops the list of use cases for how states either are using AI or foresee using it in the future.
Knowing what's in play was another area of examination. According to the survey, more than half of respondents — 67 percent — have completed an inventory of their AI applications currently in use, while 33 percent have not.
Of the states using AI, 50 percent said they are using chatbots, 36 percent are using it for office productivity and 26 percent are using it for code development. Other uses state officials mentioned include document and image generation, and in promotional materials.
As one respondent said, “We have more than 40 projects at the idea phase and are awaiting funding, approvals, trained staff and procurement.”
States that have not yet begun to establish preferred contract language for AI use in IT procurements may want to begin exploring it. More than half of those who responded, or 62 percent, said they are developing this language area, while only 9 percent have already done so. Nearly one-third, or 29 percent, said they have yet to begin this work.
The survey highlighted various roadblocks to AI adoption state officials cited, with its perceived risk and limited staff knowledge at the top of the list.
Respondents said upskilling is a primary need to support state AI initiatives, followed by budget constraints. (Some states, including California and New Jersey, are already investing in AI training for the government workforce.)
Another notable finding was that a majority of survey respondents, or 60 percent, said they have not yet partnered with other jurisdictions on AI-related initiatives. But for one government entity that has partnered with other entities, including government agencies, localities and higher education institutions, the respondent said: “Collaboration has been at the heart of our AI efforts … These discussions led to real, actionable insights and strategies.”
