Governments Expand AI Training for Employees

As counties explore new AI tools, many governments are discovering that workforce training and AI literacy are essential to successful implementation.

As covered in a Government Technology article, artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a part of government operations. State and local governments are expanding AI literacy programs to help employees use the technology responsibly and securely. While AI adoption continues to grow, many public employees still need foundational training before they can confidently integrate AI into their daily work.

Several governments are taking a structured approach to workforce development. Washington, DC, now requires AI training for all government employees and contractors, pairing AI education with cybersecurity awareness as part of its broader zero-trust strategy. The training begins with a foundational module that introduces responsible AI governance before moving into practical applications.

Jurisdictions in other states are tailoring training to different skill levels and job functions. San Jose, California, partnered with San Jose State University to develop AI upskilling programs that help employees build their own AI tools to improve city operations and make resource allocation more efficient. Long Beach, California, surveyed employees before designing its training program, finding strong demand for instruction on data privacy, generative AI, prompt writing, deepfakes, and responsible AI use.

From the Government Technology article:

City officials are leveraging a “crawl, walk, run” methodology for the effort, Cleveland Chief Communications Officer Sarah Johnson said in an email. It starts with a comprehensive organizational assessment and staff surveys. Those insights, Johnson said, will help the city tailor training and digital literacy initiatives to meet the city workforce’s needs.

Read the full Government Technology article.

At the 2026 MACo Summer Conference session, “AI That Works: Practical Use Cases for County Government,” panelists will discuss lessons learned from early AI adoption efforts, including identifying high-value use cases, preparing staff, managing risk, navigating procurement and governance challenges, and building public trust.

MACo’s Summer Conference, “Build What’s Next,” takes place August 12–15, 2026, at the Roland Powell Convention Center in Ocean City, Maryland. For more information, visit the conference website.