At the MACo Summer Conference, county leaders and experts examined the evolving role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in local government, balancing its promise for efficiency and service delivery with the policy challenges of ethics, transparency, and preemption.
Maryland Delegate Linda Foley led the conversation and moderated an informative Q&A at the Artificial Intelligence: Power, Potential, and Preemption session at the MACo Summer Conference.
Full house at #MACoCon for Artificial Intelligence: Power, Potential, and Preemption — #counties explore how to lead on responsible #AI innovation while navigating transparency, ethics, and state/federal preemption.#MDpolitics #localgov pic.twitter.com/QVBUQeSxDh
— Kevin Kinnally (@KKinnally_MACo) August 13, 2025
Panel speakers included:
- Mark Ritacco, Chief Government Affairs Officer, National Association of Counties (NACo)
- Ted Pibil, Senior Government Advisor, ePlus
- Erin McKinney, Principal Policy Council, AWS
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Mark Ritacco outlined the national policy landscape, explaining how federal regulators are approaching AI standards and the potential for preemption. He emphasized NACo’s role in advocacy to ensure counties retain local authority while staying ahead of national trends.
Ted Pibil focused on the technical and operational dimensions of AI adoption. He discussed system integration, data governance, and strategies for counties to scale projects without sacrificing flexibility. He also addressed how AI intersects with infrastructure, permitting, and the energy demands of data centers.
Erin McKinney described real-world AI use cases in county government. She explained how counties can deploy AI to improve service delivery, data analysis, and infrastructure, while maintaining transparency and ethical safeguards. She emphasized that AI should enhance, not replace, human judgment.
The session was on August 13 at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland.
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