In a groundbreaking move, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has unveiled plans for a state-wide pilot program that incorporates generative AI into government employee operations, marking a historic collaboration with OpenAI.Recognizing the potential efficiency gains, state bodies responsible for public services are increasingly turning to generative AI solutions. The pilot program, adopting an "employee-centric approach," aims to identify employee training needs and resource requirements, while exploring opportunities to seamlessly integrate AI into the workflow of more government personnel.

Governor Shapiro expressed his vision, stating, "I believe Pennsylvania can be a national leader in the safe and responsible use of generative AI in our government operations." The initiative, powered by ChatGPT Enterprise, emphasizes additional security, privacy, and management features to safeguard personally identifiable information.OpenAI CEO Sam Altman praised Pennsylvania's pioneering role, stating, “Pennsylvania is the first state in the nation to pilot ChatGPT Enterprise for its workforce.” Altman anticipates that the collaboration will yield insights into the responsible enhancement of state services through AI tools.

The initial phase of the project involves employees of the Office of Administration (OA), who will use ChatGPT to streamline document processes, edit outdated policy language, and address conflicting guidance within extensive employee policy documents. OA Secretary Neil Weaver highlighted the importance of employee input to understand the practical applications of generative AI in daily work.The Block Center for Society and Technology at Carnegie Mellon University is contributing to the pilot program. Executive Director Steve Wray expressed eagerness to guide Pennsylvania in the responsible adoption of emerging AI tools. While this initiative marks the first foray into generative AI for state government employees, its success is poised to set a precedent for other states to follow suit in the future.