Governor Maura Healey has signed an executive order to establish an artificial intelligence task force.
The team will study generative AI and other artificial technologies and their impact on the state, higher education, businesses, and Massachusetts residents, according to a news release from the governor’s office.
The goal of the task force is to develop recommendations for how Massachusetts can support AI adoption across sectors and industries.
Healey is also seeking $100 million in the upcoming economic development legislation to create an Applied AI Hub for Massachusetts. The hub would make capital grants available for the use of AI to solve public policy problems, according to the release. The funding would enable the state to act upon the findings of the AI task force, pending legislative approval.
The task force is composed of 25 members from different government branches as well as business owners and higher education professionals. It includes Secretary Yvonne Hao, Mike Milligan, vice president and chief information officer at University of Massachusetts, Segun Idowu, chief of economic opportunity and inclusion for the City of Boston, and Rudina Seseri, founder and managing partner of venture capital firm Glasswing Ventures.
“Artificial intelligence is already changing aspects of daily life and the world around us, which is why it’s critical that we ensure that the Commonwealth’s businesses are well prepared for that transition, and that Massachusetts is positioned to benefit from the growth of emerging technologies related to AI,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano said in the release.
The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security and Executive Office of Administration and Finance have also partnered with Northeastern University to develop ways to implement AI solutions in state government. The partnership began in January and the pilot iteration will conclude in July.
The task force will begin work this month, and present final recommendations before the end of 2024.
Sign up for The Beat, BostInno’s free daily innovation newsletter from BostInno reporter Isabel Tehan. See past examples here.
