Dive Brief:
- The Rockefeller Foundation and Center for Civic Futures launched the AI Readiness Project aimed at helping government officials build a better foundation for artificial intelligence technology.
- The project connects state, territorial and tribal government leaders and enables them to co-develop tools “to guide responsible AI use,” according to a press release.
- “By building shared infrastructure and supporting real-world experimentation, we can ensure innovation strengthens — rather than undermines — people’s confidence in the systems that serve them,” stated Rajiv J. Shah, president of The Rockefeller Foundation.
Dive Insight:
A recent survey of state chief information officers found 82% reported their employees were using AI in their daily work — a leap from 53% just last year.
Public sentiment has lagged, however. A June survey found 50% of residents were “uncomfortable” with government agencies utilizing AI for public services, an increase from 45% last year.
“AI is moving faster than any previous wave of innovation, and governments are being asked to make consequential decisions that will affect people’s lives for generations,” Cass Madison, executive director of Center for Civic Futures, said in a statement.
The goal of the AI Readiness Project, said Madison, is to ensure AI’s use “helps government work better for people.”
“This initiative helps leaders separate hype from reality, share what they’re learning, and apply AI responsibly, with public trust at the center,” Madison said.
CCF has been working with AI advisors and technology leaders from more than 30 states for the past year. Its partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation will expand its reach to all 50 states, territories and tribal nations and allow it to share infrastructure and support new AI pilot projects with a “first-of-its-kind knowledge hub” for public officials. The hub will include AI frameworks, policies and case studies when it launches next year. The project will also host workshops with cross-state learning and advance “best practices” for AI in the public sector.
The goal is to support at least 10 state-level pilots in 2026 to “test responsible AI applications.”
The Rockefeller Foundation has invested more than $18 million in AI designed for the public sector, including BlueConduit, an AI designed to map and remediate lead pipes in the U.S.
