Governor Shapiro signs executive order on gov use of AI

On Wednesday, September 20, Governor Josh Shapiro signed an Executive Order to establish what his administration described as “responsible standards and a governance framework for generative artificial intelligence (AI) use by Commonwealth agencies,” The order outlined the principles by which Commonwealth employees can use AI, and called for Pennsylvania’s AI research sector to review the “impacts and opportunities” of this technology in the government workforce. Additionally, it establishes a Generative AI Governing Board to guide Commonwealth policy, use, and deployment.

According to the governor, this move is intended to encourage the responsible use of the technology to help Commonwealth employees to deliver “more efficient and effective services while understanding the potential risks.”

”We can’t ignore new technology — we have to educate ourselves and be proactive to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of innovation and that’s the approach my administration is taking here in Pennsylvania,” said Governor Shapiro. “This new Executive Order will help us responsibly integrate this emerging technology into some of our government operations so we can move at the speed of business and better serve Pennsylvanians. With strong partners like Carnegie Mellon, Pennsylvania has the potential to become a leader in responsible, ethical use of generative artificial intelligence.”