Overview
Artificial intelligence professionals in state government help agencies use emerging technology responsibly to improve services, strengthen decision-making and solve public problems. They may support the development of AI tools, evaluate risks, analyze data, improve internal processes or help agencies understand how new technologies can be used safely and effectively.
This work is especially important as states consider how AI can support public services while protecting privacy, reducing bias and maintaining public trust. This field may be a good fit for people who are interested in technology, policy, ethics, data and the practical challenges of using new tools in complex public systems.
What You Might Work On
In state government, professionals in the AI field often:
- Analyze how AI tools could improve public services, agency operations or decision-making
- Develop policies, guidance or governance structures for the responsible use of AI
- Review AI systems for risks related to privacy, bias, transparency, security or accessibility
- Work with data, technology, legal, program and policy teams to evaluate, test or implement AI tools
Is This a Good Fit?
While roles and responsibilities vary, you might enjoy this field if you:
- Are interested in how technology can be used to solve public problems
- Enjoy working across technical, policy and ethical questions
- Think critically about the benefits and risks of emerging technology
- Like translating complex information for different audiences
- Enjoy building, testing or improving technical tools, including code, models or automated workflows
Where You Could Work
State government is broad—so where do you start?
One approach is to focus on a type of role. Another is to focus on a mission area or the kind of impact you want to make (i.e., in public health, education, transportation or elsewhere).
Keep in mind: Mission areas often span multiple agencies, so you may find relevant roles in places you wouldn’t expect!
Professionals in this field work across many state agencies, depending on the mission area, including:
- State technology offices: California Department of Technology
- Data and innovation offices: New Jersey Office of Innovation
- Health and human services: Texas Health and Human Services Commission
- Transportation and infrastructure: Michigan Department of Transportation
Sample positions
AI Research Investigator
| Employer / agency | State of Utah, Department of Commerce, Division of Consumer Protection |
| Location(s) | Salt Lake County, Utah / Flexible hybrid |
| Mission context | Public servants in this role help protect Utah residents from unfair and deceptive business practices involving AI, data privacy and other emerging technologies. |
In this role, you may:
- Collaborate with investigators to provide technical and AI-related knowledge that supports consumer protection investigations
- Research data, AI and emerging technology issues, including scams, deepfakes and harmful hallucinations, and explain findings to agency leaders, partner agencies or policymakers
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence Policy Director
| Employer / agency | State of Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, Division of Insurance |
| Location(s) | Denver, Colorado / Hybrid |
| Mission context | Public servants in this role help ensure that insurers’ use of big data, algorithms and predictive models does not unfairly discriminate against Colorado consumers. |
In this role, you may:
- Develop regulatory guidance, policies and procedures for insurers’ use of big data, algorithms and AI systems in areas such as underwriting, pricing and claims handling
- Analyze carrier practices, engage stakeholders and evaluate compliance to help ensure equitable access to insurance for Coloradans
Enterprise Data & AI Platform Architect
| Employer / agency | Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System |
| Location(s) | Phoenix, Arizona / Remote within Arizona |
| Mission context | Public servants in this role help modernize Arizona’s Medicaid data systems so the state can support healthcare delivery, reporting, analytics and responsible AI use. |
In this role, you may:
- Design secure, scalable data architecture that supports claims processing, eligibility systems, provider networks, member services, regulatory reporting and population health initiatives
- Build AI-ready data systems that support machine learning, predictive analytics and the responsible use of advanced technology while maintaining data governance, transparency and compliance
Deputy Director, Responsible Artificial Intelligence Safety & Education
| Employer / agency | New York State Department of Financial Services, Office of Digital Innovation, Governance, Integrity & Trust |
| Location(s) | Albany, New York / Hybrid |
| Mission context | Public servants in this role help build a transparent and resilient financial system by overseeing responsible AI reporting, disclosure and safety requirements. |
In this role, you may:
- Lead implementation of transparency, reporting and disclosure requirements for developers of frontier AI models
- Manage a team of AI experts, analysts, project managers and other staff while coordinating with technology teams, government partners and agency leadership
