Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey has announced a new policy aimed at guiding state employees in the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance government services for residents.
The policy is part of the governor's recent initiative to establish an Artificial Intelligence Task Force. He emphasized the importance of investing in the public sector workforce and equipping them with the necessary tools, skills, and knowledge to deliver top-tier services.
In collaboration with InnovateUS, the State’s Office of Innovation has produced an explainer video to help public sector professionals understand how generative AI can be responsibly incorporated into their work. This is the first in a series of extensive training programs for New Jersey’s State workforce about the development, use, and risks of AI.
Beth Simone Noveck, the State of New Jersey’s Chief Innovation Officer, highlighted the potential of generative AI to unlock new opportunities for the public sector. She stressed the need for training public workers to use emerging technologies responsibly, equitably, and securely.
Generative artificial intelligence has the potential to unlock new opportunities for the public sector to engage with residents at scale, effectively use data in new ways, communicate more inclusively, and deliver more effective and equitable services to New Jerseyans. In order to realize that potential, we must invest in training public workers to use emerging technologies in a responsible, equitable, and secure manner.
The policy fulfills an aspect of the Governor’s recent executive order, which directed the State’s Office of Information Technology to develop policies to govern and facilitate the use of AI technologies by Executive Branch departments and agencies.
The new policy focuses on empowering State government employees to use generative AI tools responsibly. It ensures that the use of these tools is transparent, all outputs are independently fact-checked, and no confidential or protected information or data is shared or disclosed.