Responsible Artificial Intelligence for Public Professionals: InnovateUS Advances Development of New Course

InnovateUS is making forward strides and gathering cross-sector input to inform development of a new philanthropically funded, national online training program on artificial Intelligence (AI) for public sector workers. Our new free, scalable, and asynchronous online course — Responsible AI for Public Professionals — is anticipated to be available by early  summer 2024.

Series of Planning Convenings Underway

With our partners, we have been hosting a series of convenings to seek broad input into the development of new curriculum to support public professionals in understanding and using AI (including Generative AI). This includes the design of content that can help civil servants explore promising and effective practices for responsibly leveraging Generative AI, identify beneficial use cases to help government serve people equitably and effectively, and learn how to evaluate risks/ethical implications. Two of these planning convenings have been hosted thus far: a first on December 4 with representatives of state government agencies (hosted by InnovateUS and Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University), and a second on January 11  with representatives from federal agencies (hosted by InnovateUS and the Partnership for Public Service). 

This week, we are hosting a third convening with a cross-sector group of experts from industry, academia, and civic technology organizations. During these and other conversations with experts and public-sector leaders, we are exploring:

• Key Learning Concepts to Promote Responsible Use of AI: What topics are essential to explore through curriculum for public professionals on Responsible AI? How might training best address general barriers to adoption and responsible use of AI by civil servants?

• Roles and Functions Related to AI: For which types of public-sector occupations is training on Responsible AI most pressing and needed? 

• Access to Learning Opportunities: How might state and federal government agencies best access training for their workforces?

Summarized findings from the three workshops will be shared publicly here on innovate-us.org in early February.

Meeting a Pressing Need for AI Training

Federal and state leaders, Congress, and stakeholders have voiced the importance of fostering skills related to AI among civil servants, including both technology roles in government and a broader set of government positions from the front line to senior executive roles. The AI Training Act of 2022 required the provision of interactive AI training for federal leaders and staff responsible for a wide array of agency functions.

On October 30, 2023, President Biden signed an Executive Order on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence, which charged agencies to “implement — or increase the availability and use of — AI training and familiarization programs for employees, managers, and leadership in technology as well as relevant policy, managerial, procurement, regulatory, ethical, governance, and legal fields.” State governments also are establishing AI policies and encouraging training on responsible AI.

What’s Next and How to Stay Engaged

Leveraging the feedback and input we have gathered thus far, curriculum development has begun. We are planning interactive learning modules for general audiences and for AI decision makers and business leaders.

Follow along here at innovate-us.org for upcoming updates about this new course on the responsible use of AI by public professionals. We’ll share a summary of findings from our planning convenings in mid-February. Soon thereafter, we’ll give an update on our course content and modules, prior to the course’s launch, which is anticipated by early summer. You can sign-up here to be notified when the course is available.

Looking to get started now with AI programming? Ahead of our course launch, we are offering various live learning workshops on AI. Check out our free AI resources here!

About InnovateUS

InnovateUS is a nonprofit, non-partisan multi-state initiative to upskill the public sector workforce in digital, data, and community engagement skills. All our programming is free and designed to upskill public professionals to use technology responsibly to serve the public, meet missions and solve problems.

Want to be a part of our community of innovators? We’d love to keep in touch! Sign up for our mailing list here.

Blake Valenta is a Senior Fellow with InnovateUS and the Burnes Center for Social Change. Cristin Dorgelo is a Visiting Fellow with InnovateUS and the Burnes Center for Social Change.