Call it the Year of the Bot. This year’s artificial intelligence (AI) survey from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO), IBM and the Center for Digital Government (CDG) reveals broad gains in AI adoption since our first report in 2019 — especially in chatbots and digital assistants — in combination with robotic process automation (RPA).
This year, we received responses from 48 agency leaders and CIOs from 34 states and conducted in-depth interviews with 10 state CIOs. Our survey and interviews show growing optimism on the potential of AI, driven in part by its role in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology leaders and their counterparts in agencies within the states are finding creative ways to apply solutions to difficult challenges.
This year’s report outlines the maturity level of AI in state governments, explores notable success stories and persistent challenges, and advises on building a strategic vision for moving ahead.