The state has expanded the use of GenAI tools to more than 3,000 workers across 35 agencies, following the findings of a one-year pilot project to explore the use of ChatGPT Enterprise. Some 175 workers across 14 agencies were involved in the project and used AI to assist in common tasks like drafting emails, conducting research, summarizing reports and other tasks, freeing up an average of 95 minutes a day, according to the pilot’s findings.
Already, agencies like the Department of Human Services is turning to AI for tasks like scanning documents uploaded by residents and alerting them to common issues like image quality or relevance — tasks that were formerly done by caseworkers. Since October, nearly 400,000 documents have been scanned by AI tools.
Similarly, the Board of Pardons is using AI to transcribe handwritten clemency application documents into the board’s online system.
“AI is evolving quickly, and it’s opening doors to entirely new ways of solving problems and improving the services people rely on. We’re focused on making sure these opportunities translate into real benefits for residents and our workforce,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver in a statement. “Our early pilot showed what’s possible when innovation is supported by strong governance and thoughtful implementation. As AI continues to advance, the commonwealth is committed to responsible adoption that empowers employees, strengthens our systems, and helps us deliver faster, clearer and more accessible service for every Pennsylvanian.”
Rolling out generative AI tools across the spectrum of state workers will involve a training regimen that will first start with instruction laid out by InnovateUS, which provides its “Empowering Public Service: Responsible Generative AI Use” training. Following this required course, employees could then pursue more targeted training.
“Employees are coming at AI at a lot of different levels of familiarity,” Dan Egan, communications director with the Pennsylvania Office of Administration, told Government Technology. “We realized we needed to cast a broad net in our training to meet people where they’re at.”
The state is planning additional deployments of AI in the form of documents processing and customer service chatbots, underscoring the way AI is becoming foundational to public-sector technology well beyond consumer tools like ChatGPT or Claude.
Pennsylvania is in the process of hiring a chief data and AI officer as it prepares for a future where AI becomes baked into systems and processes.
“AI is now part of a broader shift in how we design services, modernize systems and simplify experiences through CODE PA and our IT modernization work,” Pennsylvania CIO Bry Pardoe said in a statement. “By combining innovation with thoughtful guardrails and human-centered design, we’re making government easier to navigate and giving our workforce better tools to serve Pennsylvanians.”
