🔥 What’s In This Issue

• Local wins: San Jose, Boston, and Dallas prove that AI-driven 311 and sanitation management get results.
• States step up: Indiana, Maryland, and New Jersey lead the charge in moving AI from pilots to critical public service delivery.
• Best practices: New procurement playbooks and readiness studies offer a roadmap for secure agency adoption.
• Tools to try: Federal-direct AI search deals and secure cloud copilots are now live for government personnel.
• Policy watch: NYC's landmark GUARD Act and new federal mandates are redefining AI oversight and accountability.

🌟 Story of the Month

San Jose Launches Free AI Training Partnership for All Residents

Mayor Matt Mahan debuted a public-private partnership with Google, OpenAI, and Anthropic to offer free AI education to boost community literacy and mobility.

🚀 Local Innovators

• Raleigh Uses AI and GIS to Make Streets Safer and Smarter
  Raleigh is utilizing AI and predictive modeling to enhance traffic safety and vehicle flow through real-time analytics.
• Boston Overhauls 311 with AI-Native No-Code Platform
  The city is replacing its aging 311 system with a platform that uses predictive and generative AI to improve citizen interactions.
• Dallas Deploys AI Cameras on Trash Trucks to Combat Illegal Dumping
  Dallas is mounting AI-backed cameras on sanitation trucks to automatically identify trash issues and optimize collection routes.
• Vail Becomes ‘Agentic Smart City’ for Fire Management and Safety
  Vail is leveraging agentic AI tools to automate wildfire detection responses and ensure municipal website accessibility.
• Long Beach Lessons: Validating Needs Before Tech Rollouts
  A recent case study warns municipalities that validating community needs is critical before deploying citizen-facing AI tools.

🏛️ State Innovators

• Indiana Secretary of State Modernizes Notary Training with Generative AI
  The state revamped its notary education system using AI-crafted content to improve accessibility for 50,000 notaries.
• New Jersey AI Initiative Connects 100,000 Children to Meals
  New Jersey's latest innovation report shows AI tools connected thousands of families to summer meals while drastically reducing call wait times.
• Maryland Taps Anthropic’s Claude to Address Poverty and Housing
  Governor Wes Moore announced a partnership using the Claude AI chatbot to streamline benefits delivery and accelerate housing permit processes.
• Pennsylvania Enlists CMU for Strategic AI Advisory Services
  The state is collaborating with Carnegie Mellon to develop AI policies and conduct risk assessments for energy and transportation sectors.
• Oklahoma Appoints First State Chief AI and Technology Officer
  Oklahoma named Tai Phan to lead the state’s strategy on responsible AI use and operational efficiency across all agencies.

📚 Insights & Best Practices

• Open Contracting Partnership Releases Guide on Buying AI for Government
  The new guide offers strategies for agencies to navigate the complexities of AI procurement while ensuring strong governance.
• Fewer Than 20% of States Have a Solid AI Strategy, Report Finds
  A Boston Consulting Group study highlights that public trust and workforce training remain major hurdles for state AI adoption.
• Fear and Excitement Drive AI Discourse in State Government
  A report by New America finds mixed sentiments as state authorities balance the desire for autonomy with the potential of AI.
• Policy Meets AI: Why Broken Rules Break Customer Service
  Dan Lohrmann explores how AI can enhance government services but emphasizes that flawed policies must be fixed first.

🦄 Tools, Apps and New Features

• GSA and Perplexity Ink Deal for Direct-to-Government AI Search
  The General Services Administration now offers Perplexity’s AI-powered search tool to support federal decision-making for pennies per agency.
• Microsoft 365 Copilot Now Live for Secure Government Cloud Customers
  Federal agencies can now access AI tools within the secure GCC-High environment to improve case management and productivity.
• Local Gov Startup Madison AI Raises $3.5M for Data Analysis Chatbots
  The Nevada-based startup secured new funding to expand its AI solutions specifically tailored for local government agencies.
• Transportation Department to Expand Use of Agentic AI for Complaints
  The DOT is moving toward agentic AI to autonomously manage public complaints and process complex transportation data sets.

📄 AI Policy & Legislation

• NYC Council Passes Landmark GUARD Act for AI Accountability
  The new legislation establishes a dedicated office to monitor city AI systems for transparency, fairness, and potential bias.
• Ohio Bill Targets AI Companies for Chatbots That Promote Self-Harm
  Lawmakers proposed civil penalties for firms whose chatbots influence harmful behaviors, with fines funding suicide prevention.
• Trump Executive Order Targets ‘Burdensome’ State-Level AI Regulation
  A new federal task force will identify state laws that could impede federal innovation or national AI mandates.
• White House Directive Orders Agencies to Stop Using ‘Biased’ AI
  New OMB guidance requires agencies to ensure large language models generate objective, factual, and unbiased outputs.
• Texas Governor Establishes State AI Advisory Board and Testing Sandbox
  Governor Greg Abbott named members to a new board tasked with creating an AI code of ethics and safe testing environments.