A new report from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) found that an overwhelming 90 percent of state chief information officers (CIOs) believe generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) can enhance the citizen experience, yet only six percent report mature, scaled implementations today.
The report, developed in collaboration with Accenture, distills insights from surveys of state CIOs, government workers and citizens, and provides a practical roadmap with six imperatives for scaling GenAI responsibly across state services.
“I think we’re right at the point where states will start using GenAI externally to make citizen services faster, easier and more effective. My hope is that this research gives states the kind of insights they need as they navigate how GenAI will improve the way people experience government,” said Amy Glasscock, NASCIO program director, innovation & emerging issues
Additional key findings from the research include:
- Expectations are rising: Roughly 75 percent of United States government workers report that the public now expects higher quality digital experiences from government services.
- Workforce readiness is critical: Nearly a third (32 percent) of government employees feel encouraged to use AI, and 28 percent report using AI tools several times per week—indicating growing engagement and opportunities for further training, enablement, and change management to support successful adoption.
- Trust is important for citizens when it comes to interacting with government services: Nearly half (49 percent) of citizens prefer human interactions over digital options, and 63 percent favor in-person services—even if it means longer wait-times.
Tamara Fields, U.S. public service industry lead at Accenture, added, “State leaders have a unique opportunity to reinvent how government serves its people. By putting trust, transparency and workforce empowerment at the center of GenAI strategies, states can deliver services that are not only faster and smarter—but also more inclusive and responsive to the needs of every citizen.”
To help states move from experimentation to enterprise transformation, the report outlines six imperatives that align with stakeholder needs and risk considerations:
- Start with strategy and sponsorship
- Strengthen governance and funding foundations
- Place the worker in the center
- Enable the right technology and data
- Scale at the speed of trust
- Design for diverse consumer segments
Contact
Meredith Ward
Deputy Executive Director
National Association of State Chief Information Officers
mward@NASCIO.org