InnovateUS, aiming to inform government employees about AI, has worked with several other government agencies including New Jersey, Maryland and California to promote the responsible adoption of AI within government work by prioritizing ethics and clarifying the need for human oversight in AI-driven systems.
The Indianapolis and Marion County partnership will offer free introductory AI training, as well as an internally developed data classification course that needs to be completed in order for employees to qualify for a M365 Copilot license. Copilot is an AI-powered productivity tool integrated into Microsoft applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint and can help accomplish tasks like generating emails and reports, creating presentations and analyzing data.
"This partnership with InnovateUS establishes a strong foundation for our AI journey, equipping city-county employees with critical knowledge about AI, its potential, challenges, and ethical considerations," said Collin Hill, chief information officer for the city of Indianapolis and Marion County, in a press release. “Beyond training, we’re laying the groundwork for thoughtful AI integration in local government that prioritizes data protection, security and responsible implementation to serve our community better.”
The City-County Council conducted an AI usage and awareness survey in May 2024 to determine the interest and usage patterns for government employees.
The results revealed that of the more than 600 employees polled, fewer than 19 percent were aware that the city-county had an existing AI policy, even though it went into effect more than six months prior to the survey. Additionally, nearly half were not aware of the different levels of data classification, and what types of data are appropriate for use in an AI tool.
Employees were also asked how they used AI at work, revealing some where using the technology to correspond with residents (17 percent) or run data analysis (22 percent), highlighting the need for comprehensive data security and safety training. A larger portion (28 percent) reported using AI in "other" ways with no clear insight into the involvement and data and security in their processes.
Moving forward, the commission has released plans for 2025 and beyond, including hiring a chief data and privacy officer, developing an AI security framework and updating the previous AI policy. The plan is to launch the initial Copilot experiment within the city-county in the second quarter of 2025.
