San Jose Standard

The City of San José has taken the lead in shaping the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in government by establishing the GovAI Coalition, which includes over 150 agencies. Mayor Matt Mahan expressed the city's commitment to innovation by stating, “San José is the worldwide hub for innovation – and the latest innovations are happening in AI.” The Coalition, spearheaded by the City of San José, aims to collaborate with other agencies to influence the responsible use of AI in government.

City Manager Jennifer Maguire emphasized the Coalition's focus on setting standards for AI policies, procurement, and implementation to ensure public privacy while advancing the use of AI in delivering government services. Maguire highlighted the opportunity for the City to work with other government agencies on AI best practices, stating, “This coalition is a wonderful opportunity for our City to work with other government agencies on AI best practices.”

Khaled Tawfik, Chief Information Officer and Director of the Information Technology Department, highlighted the importance of the City's investment in the Digital Privacy and AI Office in driving efforts towards beneficial AI usage. Tawfik noted, “The AI models we use are the same that every city in the country might use, so it was clear that we needed a coalition to consolidate our intention and influence on the global AI developers.”

The GovAI Coalition, initiated by the City of San José in 2023, has evolved into a national movement for AI in the public sector, with a network of over 400 public servants from more than 150 agencies. The Coalition has released an open letter and a toolkit to assist public agencies in adopting responsible AI practices, available at sanjoseca.gov/GovAI.

The City of San José invites other organizations to join the Coalition to enhance understanding of local AI needs and foster a collaborative environment for the future of AI and government. Through this initiative, the City aims to promote the use of AI in a manner that benefits all stakeholders and aligns with emerging national standards.

San José, with its reputation as a global innovation center, continues to lead the way in leveraging technology for the betterment of its community and setting a benchmark for responsible AI governance in local government.