Government at all levels and globally are increasingly recognizing that the use of artificial intelligence in government, as with any technological innovation, needs governance. At the state and federal level in the US we are seeing new legislation, organizational units and positions being established to address this need. For example, as of June 2024, 43 new pieces of AI-related legislation are pending in state houses across the country.
Amid all these legislative and policy documents, very little has been said about what Senior Executives and Senior Leaders should do if the collective weight of extant processes, legacy policies, and past ways of engaging the U.S. public collide with what’s needed for AI efforts within and across government departments to truly succeed. Senior Executives across all parts of the government, including those not traditionally associated with data and tech, will need to work together to re-envision - and then effectively lead novel pilot projects - that transform how the public service works with people and communities alongside AI adoption.
As these changes play out it is incumbent on decision makers to critically consider why AI governance matters and how best to ensure things are done “right” – are guardrails required or will guiderails suffice, how we can prolong the shelf-life or relevance of AI governance established today in the context of GenAI, and finally, who, among our many Senor Executives including CxOs, should be responsible for developing and leading AI governance.
Using a conversational moderated panel model, panelists will share their insights and experiences around these three questions.
Panelists:
Moderator: Theresa A. Pardo, Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration, Co-Chair, Technology Leadership Standing Panel