New Jersey Turns to Public Sector Workers to Help Shape its AI Strategy

Government leaders in a number of states are working on ways to harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector.

For example, governors in states such as Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia and Washington have formed special task forces charged with determining how the technology can make government operations more efficient and effective while managing the risks and challenges that come along with AI use in the workplace.

The state of New Jersey has established a similar AI-specific task force, but is also looking within for help with this task, asking New Jersey’s 67,000-plus government employees to take part in shaping the state’s AI strategy going forward.

Beth Simone Noveck, chief AI strategist for the state of New Jersey, and Allison Chris Myers, chair and CEO of the New Jersey Civil Service Commission, outlined the state’s strategy in a recent piece for Government Technology.

That article noted New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s commitment to “training our public workforce in artificial intelligence, understanding its complexities and how to use it effectively and responsibly to serve the public,” Noveck and Myers wrote.

In preparation of that training, New Jersey is launching a survey of its public sector employees’ knowledge, attitudes and interests around AI, they wrote, adding that answers to the voluntary, anonymous 10-minute survey “will inform the state’s AI upskilling plans and pilot projects.”

Throughout the month of June, New Jersey will invite employees from more than 25 state agencies to take part in the survey, which looks to gauge employees’ current awareness and use of generative AI tools, their interest in learning more about the technology, the training formats they prefer, top use cases and key concerns to address, according to the Government Technology piece.

As Noveck and Myers pointed out, New Jersey government has already adopted AI for a number of purposes. For example, the state relies on artificial intelligence to supply responses to residents’ questions submitted to www.business.nj.gov.

Each response from a chatbot is reviewed by a human in New Jersey’s Business Action Center, they wrote, adding that the state is also using AI to help call center operators find answers to questions about its ANCHOR property tax rebate program. New Jersey is also relying on AI to provide customized advice to job seekers and individuals looking for more information on training for in-demand jobs.

By reaching out directly to its public sector workforce for input on AI use within government, the state of New Jersey is hoping to create “an even more collaborative and innovative environment that not only enhances public services, but also improves job satisfaction and empowers our workforce,” according to Noveck and Myers.

“By directly engaging workers up front, using their responses to inform training and upskilling for staff, New Jersey aims to co-create an AI strategy that supports and empowers our public professionals to serve residents.”