Deshpande leads the state’s AI Advisory Council, which includes state agencies, academic institutions and industry leaders to advise on policy and governance. He views emerging technology as a tool to make public services accessible, equitable and reliable, building constituent trust.
“My role is a balancing role to drive digital transformation and AI adoption across state agencies, either for back-office applications or constituent-facing services. My focus is on modernizing government services wherever we can, enhancing constituent engagement and ensuring that we leverage any technologies which are future facing ... in a responsible way,” he said. “It has challenged me to make sure that I understand the ongoing, evolving landscape to allow us to set AI governance and policies, fostering public-private partnerships and initiatives that improve efficiency, transparency and accessibility to government services.”
His work reflects prioritization and data-driven decision-making. Deshpande dedicates time each morning to assess his day and set his focus. This disciplined approach and his background in visual design and user experience enables him to drive transformative projects. Among these was the consolidation of 90 state agency websites to enhance cohesion and accessibility.
AI is a relatively recent addition to Deshpande’s title; he’s served the state for two decades and through multiple leadership changes. Now, he’s particularly excited about the launch of the Georgia Innovation Lab, which will foster collaboration with industry partners to develop emerging technologies.
In addition to his leadership role, Deshpande regularly shares expertise through live events, webinars and podcasts, and serves on the board of the nonprofit Drupal Association.
“My goal is to make Georgia one of the national leaders in responsible AI adoption. Because, as a government, our goal is to keep and build trust with our constituents.”
This story originally appeared in the Spring 2025 issue of Government Technology magazine. Click here to view the full digital edition online.
