AI Governance Innovations: 2025 Reflections & the 2026 Roadmap

In 2025, states across the country made meaningful progress in shaping how AI is governed, adopted, and used in the public interest. From new governance frameworks and executive actions to pilots, procurement strategies, and cross-agency coordination, public-sector leaders moved quickly to respond to both opportunity and risk.

This session brings together AI leaders from eight states, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaiʻi, New Jersey, New York, Utah, and Vermont, for a peer-driven conversation reflecting on what worked, what didn’t, and what remains unresolved. Participants will hear firsthand lessons from those leading governance innovation on the ground, including how teams navigated uncertainty, built internal capacity, engaged stakeholders, and balanced innovation with accountability.

Looking ahead to 2026, the conversation will shift toward what’s next: emerging governance gaps, implementation challenges, and the institutional work still required to move from policy to practice. Designed as a shared learning space rather than a showcase, this workshop invites participants to connect patterns across states, surface common challenges, and identify priorities for the year ahead—grounded in real experience and informed judgment.