Much of the news about artificial intelligence has focused on how it changes the private sector. But across the country, civil servants are experimenting with how AI can change the way governments provide important services to their citizens, whilst avoiding pitfalls.
State AI leaders, including New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, met at Princeton University in June to discuss how AI could provide more efficient, effective and transparent for the government.
Hosted by Princeton's Information Technology Center (CITP), NJ AI Hub, New Jersey, the National Association of Governors, Public Sector AI, Govlab and Innovateus, the conference brought together over 100 AI leaders from 25 states to share ideas and collaborate. The meeting was conducted under a non-disclosure agreement to allow participants to openly discuss their progress and concerns. Citations for this story will be used by permission.
What emerged was enthusiasm about the potential for government employees to reduce the time they spend on manual tasks and improve their ability to attract citizens, as well as concerns about the best ways to innovate and increase the use of public data rather than undermine it.
This gathering is just one of the ways in which the CITP (a joint centre of Princeton and international affairs) leads AI. The centre will also be retained. Policy Lessons Several affiliated faculties have been involving policymakers in SPIA's AI governance at the DC Center, and teach courses on Princeton Spear's AI policy.
“There is a clear recognition of the need to think about public accountability and fairness,” Princeton's Arvind Narayanan said. “At the same time, if we understand this correctly, I think we will also recognize the potential of the government.”
At the meeting, CITP Director Arvind Narayanan noted that participants focused on the actual implementation of AI tools rather than “polarized conversations about AI dominating the media.” He also explained why public deployment of AI by the state government is slower than internal ones.
“There is a clear recognition of the need to think about general accountability and fairness. At the same time, if we understand this correctly, we also recognize the potential of the government,” says Narayanan, co-author of AI Snake Oil: AI Snake Oil.
The speaker shared how AI is improving government, big and small. Keep in mind that you can save 1-2 hours per employee by leveraging AI to create grant applications, assess legal assessments, or reviewing procurement policies. One city automates a summary of the council's oral voting, a task previously completed by the city clerk, and has created a brief summary of the council's book for 20 years, in a short period of time, at near zero costs. As a result, voters have an easier way to access information and hold elected officials accountable.
In his remarks, Gov. Phil Murphy decided how New Jersey is approaching technology, including its partnership with Princeton at the NJ AI hub.
“We held our hands and jumped into the AI space,” Murphy said of the state's partnership with the university. Along with Microsoft and New Jersey-based AI company CoreWeave, the state and university launched the NJ AI hub earlier this year to promote AI innovation. “I don't think we'll be everything if we don't think a lot of good things can work out with AI, but I think we have to admit some of the tensions we're still playing ourselves.”
Murphy highlighted concerns about the possibility of empowering bad actors and the possibility of AI on human creativity, work and equity.
“Will this be a huge wealth generator for a few people, or we will have access to this realm to everyone,” he said.
One of the participants in the ideas considered at the meeting was to build a public AI infrastructure that ensures that it remains open source technology rather than being managed personally by a small number of companies. Bringing AI into the public domain provides opportunities to build controls and mechanisms for accountability, the speaker noted. They argued that AI is a foundational infrastructure, unlike roads, bridges and broadband.
At the end of the two-day gathering, Anne Marie Slaughter, CEO of New America and former Princeton Spear Dean, was reflected in the meeting. She highlighted what others said about ensuring that there is a need to be transparent about how AI is used and strengthens public trust in the government.
“[AI] It's not just about changing the way governments make things better, faster and cheaper. It can change what government is doing and, more importantly, what government is in democracy,” Slaughter said.
Posing with Governor Phil Murphy at the meeting are Cassandra Madison (left to right) of the Public Sector AI Center, Arvind Narayanan, CITP Director, New Jersey Chief AI Strategist Beth Simone Novoto, Timothy Brute of the National Association of Governors, and Jeffrey Oakman, senior Strategic AI Hub Project Managers at Princeton.
