ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta will convene the first meeting of its newly formed Artificial Intelligence Commission on May 7 at 4 p.m. at Atlanta City Hall in the Larry Dingle Committee Room.
What we know:
The commission was established by legislation introduced in December 2024 by District 2 Council member Amir Farokhi and approved by the Atlanta City Council. The initiative aims to explore how artificial intelligence can enhance city operations, improve service delivery, and increase government efficiency.
The 13-member commission includes a mix of city leaders, academics, and technology experts. Current members include:
- Jason Sankey, Chief Information Officer, City of Atlanta
- Nikhil Deshpande, Chief Digital and AI Officer, State of Georgia
- Larry Williams, Technology Association of Georgia
- Donald Beamer Jr., appointee of Mayor Andre Dickens
- John Yates, technology policy and research representative
- Dr. Charlotte Alexander, Georgia Institute of Technology
- Dr. Joy Harris, Georgia State University
- Council member Amir Farokhi, appointee of Council President Doug Shipman
- Matthew Garver, representing Council Districts 1-4 and Post 1 At-Large
Four commission seats remain vacant, including representatives for Emory University, Atlanta University Center, and two additional district groupings.
The backstory:
Atlanta is just one of many cities that is currently exploring how to use AI within its government.
According to Cities Today, New York has implemented the AI Action Plan, which focuses on responsible AI governance across city agencies.
Boston has also created guidelines for responsible AI use, like ensuring transparency and accuracy in applications such as automated translation and chatbot services. The city also encourages safe spaces for experimentation.
The state of New Jersey has implemented a new AI translation service for applicants seeking unemployment assistance and other public services. It also has an active AI task force that is looking into other ways to use AI throughout the state.
State and local governments in Arizona have implemented a variety of policies related to AI. It also created an AI steering committee to help inform future AI deployment and identify potential applications for its use, according to GovTech.com.
San Jose in California was instrumental in launching the GovAI Coalition, which includes about 550 from across the United States. Its mission is to promote responsible and purposeful AI in the public sector.
What’s next:
The commission is expected to provide guidance on how AI can be responsibly and effectively integrated into city services while addressing ethical and community concerns. The meeting is open to the public.
Leave a Reply