From Policy to Practice: Governing AI in State Government

Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimentation to real-world implementation across state governments. In this episode of State Gov Today, leaders from New York and Oklahoma share how they are approaching AI adoption with a balance of innovation, governance, and public trust. Executive Deputy CIO Jenson Jacob and Chief AI Officer Eleonore Fournier-Tombs describe how New York is building frameworks that encourage responsible AI use while protecting citizen data and improving service delivery. Eric Trexler of Palo Alto Networks explores how security leaders can deploy AI technologies while maintaining transparency and strong cyber defenses. Oklahoma’s Chief AI and Technology Officer Tai Phan and Chief Information Security Officer Daniel Langley discuss how AI supports their broader modernization strategy and helps make government services simpler and more responsive to citizens. Finally, Ping Identity’s Kelvin Brewer explains how identity and access management will play a critical role in governing both human and digital workers as AI becomes more embedded across state operations. Together, these conversations highlight how state governments are moving from policy to practice in governing AI while ensuring innovation delivers real value to residents.