AI Can Create Real Government Efficiency
By Jonathon Dworkin | Governing
In December, Maryland launched its Unified Benefits Screener, a first-of-its-kind, mobile-friendly tool that quickly set the standard for how artificial intelligence can streamline state government services. The online tool uses AI technology to help Marylanders quickly determine whether they qualify for vital programs like Medicaid, SNAP, WIC and home energy assistance. No paperwork, no long wait time — just a simple, accessible way for people to get the help they need.
In other words, AI helped Maryland’s government become more effective and efficient. In contrast to the current chaos of budget-slashing across federal agencies in the name of government efficiency, state and local leaders are leveraging AI to make government genuinely work better for their constituents. Maryland’s United Benefits Screener is just one example, and it’s part of a road map for the rest of the country.
State and local officials are already showing that smart, responsible use of emerging technology can empower positive government reform. As I’ve learned from dozens of conversations with elected officials and field experts at the state and local level, responsible AI implementation involves three key components:
First, governments should start small and scale up AI efforts. Pilot projects with defined goals and feedback loops allow governments to iterate, adapt and expand. With new technologies, mistakes happen when major changes are made before all of the bugs are worked out. Such blunders can decrease both government efficiency and trust from the public.
Second, internal leadership is crucial to success. Often, this means having an internal champion of innovation — a person or team dedicated to testing tools, fostering a culture of experimentation and building the internal “permission structure” for departments to try new ideas.
Finally, new AI policies and programs must be accompanied by clear ethical standards and trust among both government workers and the community. Public workers should receive robust training so they are able to apply these tools effectively while keeping the community informed of when and how AI is used.
Progress with AI may still be in the early stages, but it’s hardly theoretical. Many state and local governments, like Maryland’s, are already using it to improve constituent services.
San Jose, Calif., where the city has empowered its chief innovation officer to take advantage of AI, is using the technology to optimize public transit and improve street maintenance. AI-powered cameras and other tools help detect road obstructions like potholes, as well as graffiti, broken streetlights and illegal dumping, enabling the city to respond often before residents report a problem.
New York state is providing public employees with the tools to deploy AI in their day-to-day work, instituting an AI training program and a secure generative AI tool set through the state’s Office of Information Technology Services. As a result, employees can automate certain tasks and increase productivity.
In Dearborn, Mich., officials have implemented AI on the city’s website, including as a translation hub, to make sure that residents have access to important resources and government services in both Arabic and Spanish.
These projects represent just a fraction of how AI is being put to work, and they highlight a significant opportunity to boost government efficiency. When applied thoughtfully, iteratively, and with strong ethical guardrails, AI can improve the way residents interact with their governments and help deliver better policy outcomes.
There is no silver bullet to government efficiency — it will not be one simple fix. Instead, it will take deliberate, strategic efforts. Leaders at all levels of government should look to state and local policymakers and administrators who are thoughtfully and strategically embracing new AI technologies to make real, lasting improvements in governing.
