Are local governments prepared for AI? 38% of IT leaders say not at all

A recent survey of local government IT executives found that 53% are gearing up for artificial intelligence (AI)—developing governance policies and frameworks for the new technology. 

That same survey, conducted by the Public Technology Institute (PTI), also found that 38% of IT leaders felt their local government was “not prepared at all” to safely use AI technology. The main concerns cited by those surveyed included security, privacy issues and a lack of necessary skills.

At the same time, 46% of respondents said their organization was “somewhat prepared” for using AI, and 9% said they were “fully prepared.” Another 7% responded that they did not plan on using AI tools.

The study was conducted between July and August 2024 and surveyed more than 200 local government IT executives.

Steps being taken

In terms of what steps local government IT executives were taking to address the emerging technology, 53% said they were developing AI policies and frameworks; 29% said they were collaborating with AI industry experts; 27% said they were investing in AI training and education programs; and 7% were assessing potential job displacement and recruiting strategies. 

A total of 40% of respondents said they had not taken any steps to address the impact of GenAI on their local government’s workforce.

Several major cities, including New York and Boston, have announced AI frameworks in the past few years. The Biden Administration announced plans to begin working on AI safety, security and transparency policies in 2023, and issued guidelines for using AI to administer public benefits programs this past spring.

AI’s expected impact 

The perception of the impact AI will have on local government operations has shifted since 2023. In 2023, 58% of IT professionals expected AI to introduce a “dramatic change” over the next three years. This year, that number fell to 53%. Likewise, the perception that AI tools will have “little change” over the next three years increased from 42% to 47%.

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