Oregon state employees to receive AI training

Politics

‘We cannot ignore the rapid growth of AI in our lives,’ Gov. Tina Kotek said in a statement Friday.

Oregon will begin training state government employees on how to use generative artificial intelligence.

The state’s Enterprise Information Services, which oversees the government’s software systems, will begin offering AI courses to state employees “as part of our commitment to building an informed and capable public service workforce,” a Tuesday press release said.

The state is working with InnovateUS, a nonprofit organization that has partnered with government agencies to provide no-cost AI training for public sector employees. The organization has previously worked with the state of Pennsylvania. The city of San Francisco announced a similar agreement on Monday, among other measures focused on the use of AI.

Oregon State Chief Information Officer Terrence Woods said in a press release that generative AI is “vastly developing,” and added that “the future of government depends first and foremost on people, supported by technology.”

“This opportunity will provide our workforce with the knowledge and skills to use generative AI in their work responsibly, securely, and effectively,” said Woods, who serves on the state’s AI advisory council that Gov. Tina Kotek established through an executive order in November 2023.

Oregon’s Department of Administrative Services — which oversees policies and finances directed by the governor and legislature — did not make officials available for an interview Tuesday afternoon.

The online courses will be available to all state employees, but for now they are not required, said Hope Hiebert, a government spokesperson. Broadly, the courses each involve about two hours of self-paced lessons on how individuals and organizations can use AI in an ethically responsible way in their daily work to improve public service.

In an email, Hiebert said she couldn’t specify how the state plans to use generative AI, but added “the state of Oregon plans to continue to manage this in a meaningful, responsible, governed way.”

The courses come as generative AI expands to both public and private sectors, continuing to alter major American institutions. Using such technology “supports the goal of being more effective stewards of public resources” by bolstering government efficiency and customer service, the state’s press release said.

The disclosure of the courses comes less than a week after Kotek announced that the council had finalized and approved an “Action Plan” for artificial intelligence in the state of Oregon, in part to “establish robust governance structures, enhance privacy and security measures, and invest in workforce readiness.”

The council’s action came after months of work and meetings. Woods called the plan “a great step toward navigating AI’s complexities and potential for the benefit of Oregonians.”

“We cannot ignore the rapid growth of AI in our lives,” Kotek said in a statement Friday. “It is incumbent on government to ensure new technology is used responsibly, ethically, and securely.”