Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Gov. Maura Healey signed an Executive Order on Feb. 14 establishing the Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force to study AI and Generative Artificial Intelligence technology and its impact on the state, private businesses, higher education institutions, and constituents.
The task force will conduct outreach and collect input from stakeholders and experts, advise the governor and executive branch on the state’s role in AI implementation, and find ways to encourage leading industries to adopt the technology.
The Task Force will make recommendations for how the state can support Massachusetts businesses in leading sectors around AI adoption and how startups can grow and succeed.
“Massachusetts has the opportunity to be a global leader in Applied AI, but it’s going to take us bringing together the brightest minds in tech, business, education, health care and government,” Healey said.
Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll said the task force “will position Massachusetts as a hub for talent and business excellence … with the goal of establishing our state as a global leader in its effective and responsible utilization.”
Artificial intelligence is a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human objectives, make predictions, recommendations or decisions. Generative artificial intelligence, as used in the executive order, is a type of AI that can generate many forms of content, including but not limited to texts, images and multimedia.
The Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force was envisioned in the administration’s economic development plan, Team MA: Leading Future Generations. The 25-member task force is co-chaired by Economic Development Secretary Yvonne Hao and Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder, with members including Boston Chief Information Officer Santiago Garces and Boston Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion Segun Idowu.
“Technology is critical to delivering services and connecting residents in Boston and across Massachusetts to opportunity,” said Boston Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we continue to address our most urgent challenges, it’s essential to understand the opportunities, key questions, and impact of AI.”
Gov. Healey said she will seek $100 million in her upcoming economic development legislation to create an Applied AI Hub in Massachusetts. The funding would be used for a capital grant program to support the adoption and application of AI capabilities to solve public policy problems and to advance the state’s lead in technology sectors.
The governor’s recently filed FutureTech Act includes a $25 million authorization for IT capital AI projects within the Executive Branch.
The Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force will begin its work in February and present final recommendations to the governor later this year.