Presented by Palo Alto Networks, Ping Identity & Carahsoft
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming a foundational technology for state governments, but adopting it responsibly requires more than simply deploying new tools. For the State of New York, the challenge is finding the right balance between innovation and governance—ensuring that AI improves services while protecting public trust.
Jenson Jacob, Executive Deputy Chief Information Officer for the State of New York, and Eleonore Fournier-Tombs, Chief AI Officer for the State of New York, are leading that effort. Together, they are shaping a statewide framework that encourages innovation while maintaining strong guardrails for data protection, transparency, and accountability.
Jacob explains that the state has been focused on building a structured approach to AI governance for more than a year. The framework rests on several core principles, including accountability, transparency, security, and ethics. One of the most important elements is ensuring that every AI-driven decision still has a human responsible for the outcome.
“We need to have a human owner for every AI-driven outcome,” Jacob explains, emphasizing that government must remain accountable to citizens even as automation expands.
But governance alone cannot drive transformation. Jacob notes that overly restrictive oversight could stifle innovation across the state’s more than 50 executive agencies. The challenge, he says, is ensuring governance acts as an enabler rather than a barrier.
A major focus of the state’s strategy is building AI literacy across the workforce. New York leaders recognize that many public employees are experimenting with AI tools in their personal lives, and that curiosity must be channeled productively inside government. By educating agency staff about how AI works and how it should be governed, the state hopes to reduce the risks of unsanctioned “shadow AI” deployments.
Eleonore Fournier-Tombs brings a global perspective to the effort. Before joining New York State government, she worked at the United Nations, where she helped develop AI governance policies and founded the UN’s first AI policy research lab.
Her experience working on international governance frameworks is now helping guide the state’s approach to risk management. Fournier-Tombs says one of the most important lessons from global AI governance is the importance of evaluating risk based on how AI systems are deployed.
Public-facing applications—such as systems used in healthcare, education, or judicial processes—require far more scrutiny than lower-risk internal tools. By categorizing AI deployments according to risk levels, governments can maintain oversight while still allowing innovation to flourish.
For New York, the next step is helping agencies translate policy frameworks into real-world applications. That includes supporting agencies as they procure AI solutions, develop their own tools, and assess potential risks.
At the same time, the state is already exploring practical uses of AI to improve services for residents.
Jacob points to improvements in digital service delivery as one example. New York has begun evolving its chatbot capabilities to provide more advanced assistance to citizens interacting with state agencies. While the state is cautious about deploying generative AI in high-risk scenarios, it is experimenting with AI-driven workflows that connect citizens directly to relevant government services.
Another initiative involves simplifying how residents interact with government online. Instead of navigating dozens of agency websites and creating multiple accounts, the state is exploring ways to create a unified service profile where citizens can access services through a single identity.
Behind the scenes, AI may also help address one of government’s most persistent technology challenges: legacy systems.
Many state systems still run on decades-old mainframe code, often written in languages like COBOL. AI tools capable of analyzing legacy systems and generating documentation could dramatically improve modernization efforts while preserving critical institutional knowledge.
Ultimately, both Jacob and Fournier-Tombs see AI as an opportunity to transform government services—but only if it is deployed thoughtfully.
By combining strong governance frameworks, workforce education, and targeted innovation, New York is working to ensure AI becomes a tool that enhances public service rather than undermines trust.
Key Takeaways
- Effective AI governance requires balancing innovation with transparency, accountability, and strong data protection.
- Educating the government workforce about AI is essential to preventing shadow deployments and building responsible adoption.
- AI is already helping states improve service delivery, modernize legacy systems, and streamline citizen interactions.