Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) holds the power to boost economies, enhance equity, transform government services, and empower workers, according to the debut report from New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy’s Artificial Intelligence Task Force.
Established through an executive order in Oct. 2023, the AI task force aims to assess emerging AI technologies, provide reports on the technology’s societal impacts, and provide recommendations on the ethical and responsible use of AI for governments.
In its first Report to the Governor, the task force – led by top state officials and AI experts in collaboration with industry, academia, and advocates – said that “these recent [AI] innovations present tremendous opportunities as well as risks to consider and mitigate. The State of New Jersey should leverage these new technologies and unlock their potential to serve New Jerseyans at new and more supportive levels than ever before.”
Recommendations were developed by four working groups focused on security, safety, and privacy for AI use cases; AI training strategies; AI equity and literacy to prevent bias; and strategic planning to make New Jersey a “hub for AI innovation.”
“As AI technologies continue to expand and advance at an unprecedented pace, New Jersey remains at the forefront, building up the Garden State as a hub for innovation,” Murphy said in a statement. “This report details the potential for AI to improve the efficiency of state government services for our residents, while supporting our mission of building an equitable opportunity economy in the Garden State. I am grateful to the Task Force for their recommendations and look forward to implementing them in the coming months.”
The first working group on security and safety provided recommendations including maintaining human oversight of AI systems, embedding advanced cybersecurity measures into AI governance frameworks, establishing robust quality assurance, adopting a “test-and-learn” approach to GenAI pilots, and ensuring that state lawmakers monitor and evaluate policy needs and solutions to keep pace with AI evolution.
Workforce training recommendations include updating education for AI literacy, using the New Jersey Career Navigator for AI labor market insights, and expanding programs to support job transitions and small businesses adopting GenAI.
“GenAI may lead to growth in job opportunities by expanding existing high-tech industries and spurring entirely new job types and industries that either do not exist today or are not yet widespread,” the report reads. “Many workers, however, are concerned that AI use may cause changes to their daily lives and jobs.”
“[These recommendations] address worker concerns regarding AI’s impact and offer proactive strategies for how government, employers, and universities can work together to harness AI to fuel growth and drive innovation,” it continues.
Improving AI equity and literacy includes turning to training to provide access to historically underserved communities to AI-focused resources, the task force said in its third working group. Additional recommendations include supporting innovative teaching, using AI to streamline tasks, boosting diversity in AI startups with funding and incubators, and building trust through research on AI ethics and equity.
The task force also recommended involving minority-serving institutions in AI development and issuing civil rights guidance to address bias and discrimination.
The final set of recommendations for promoting the state’s innovation in AI aim to foster collaboration, boost AI company visibility, create training pipelines, and attract tech sector investment.
“Thanks to all of our partners, we now have one of our nation’s first road maps to help ensure AI serves as a tool to enhance government services, improve workers’ lives, expand economic opportunities – especially for low-income families, and so much more,” Beth Noveck, the task force co-chair and chief AI strategist, said in a statement. “Rather than a top-down process, we created this road map by directly engaging public and private workers to ensure this technology is used to empower workers and serve residents.”
