Vermont Leveraging AI to Enhance Government Operations and Cybersecurity
Vermont is actively implementing artificial intelligence (AI) across various government functions, transitioning from an ethical framework development phase to an enablement phase. The state appointed Josiah Raiche as its first director of AI in 2022, later elevating him to chief data and AI officer in 2024, integrating AI governance with its broader data strategy. A key application involves training developers to use AI tools to identify and harden vulnerabilities across approximately 1,100 state applications, starting with cybersecurity. These AI tools can scan source-code segments, model attack paths, generate Python checks, identify vulnerabilities, and support remediation. Additionally, AI is being used to automate routine tasks, such as ballot proofing for the Secretary of State's office, significantly reducing manual effort and improving efficiency under tight deadlines.
