Artificial intelligence seems to be expanding in capability and application every day, if not more rapidly. OpenAI launched ChatGPT in November of 2022, and we already have technology such as the Figure AI Robot, which appears to be able to provide humanlike assistance while also anticipating the needs and expectations of their human counterpart. And while these developments are happening globally, Nevada public agencies are using AI to expedite services and processes for the public.
Although relatively new in its application, AI is already seen as a double-edged sword. There are those who see the technology as at least as transformational as the internet was when it became widely used three decades ago, while others remain concerned about how it will be used, who will govern it, and how it might be controlled.
Perhaps nowhere is this discussion more relevant than in public service, where public agencies are already using AI in various forms to provide more efficient services to the public, while also needing to protect against misuse of personal data, against bias and many other challenges present in the new technology landscape.
Fortunately, Nevada benefits from the leadership of exceptional leaders who are taking these challenges very seriously, and positioning Nevada as a leader in the AI space while doing so. Chief among these leaders is Tim Galluzi, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s chief information officer, and Jill Tolles, the executive director of the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities. These two organizations have worked individually and in partnership with private sector partners to ensure Nevada is prepared for the challenges and opportunities presented by AI, particularly through a series of public summits held throughout this year.
In addition to collaborating with the Nevada Office of the Chief Information Officer, the Guinn Center’s has also been leading the way in studying the challenges associated with AI, public risks, and policy development. In February of this year, the Guinn Center hosted the Gallagher Dialogues, its annual public event, and included Russell Wald, deputy director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered AI, for an in-depth conversation with Tolles. Since the Gallagher Dialogues, the Guinn Center has developed an introductory policy brief on AI and Government, and has identified new topics for future research as well.
Most recently, Galluzi and Tolles partnered to hold a public roundtable on transformative potential of AI in public agencies. The roundtable, which was held in Carson City on Sept.6, brought together leaders from state agencies, academics, policymakers and private sector service providers to discuss how AI is currently being used by the state, how it may be used in the future and what safeguards must be in place to protect the people of Nevada.
The meeting began with a discussion of the state’s forthcoming AI policy. As the draft document states, it is intended to establish “minimum standards for AI deployment, balancing safety and compliance with the flexibility needed for innovation across different agencies.”
In a wide-ranging discussion that followed, roundtable participants discussed how AI is currently being used, the challenges and benefits that come with its application and the need for ensuring that these new tools remain available to public leaders and agencies who could use AI to improve efficiency and customer service for the public.
While the policy is still in draft form, it does represent a significant step forward for Nevada, acknowledging that AI does come with some risks, but those can and should be managed in order to deploy it responsibly on the public’s behalf.
Perhaps the most interesting portion of the roundtable followed, where panelists engaged in a broad discussion about what is currently being done and what should be done to ensure that AI is available and that it is used responsibly. They discussed how AI can be used to expedite the eligibility determination for critical public benefits and programs; they discussed how AI can be used to help college students graduate on time; and they discussed how AI can be used to answer questions from the public, thus allowing staff more time to address other needs. These are all interesting challenges, particularly since AI is still very early in its development and application, but, as the roundtable discussion made clear, AI is already here and Nevada’s leaders are taking it very seriously.
Overall, this roundtable continued a conversation that began in earnest earlier this year. It continued to introduce a topic that is still widely misunderstood but that will no doubt continue to dominate the public interest for some time to come. It also provided a forum for people to think seriously about this important subject, and to have an open dialogue about what is ahead and how Nevada can continue to lead as the future takes shape.
AI is already on the policy agenda for the 2025 legislative session, with six Bill Draft Requests mentioning the subject already posted. These bills and likely others will justifiably seek to develop policies that allow for the technology to be used to better serve the public while also ensuring it does so responsibly. And because of the nature of the AI expansion, many of these policies will have to be developed while the technology itself is evolving. This will be a challenging task, however, thanks to leaders in our state who are wrestling with questions like these and others, we will be in a much better position to have those debates than we would be otherwise.
Caleb S. Cage is the founder of Arc Dome Strategies, a Nevada government relations consulting firm that focuses on technology, energy, health care and rural issues.
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