New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has recently launched the NJ AI Assistant and introduced AI training programs for the New Jersey state workforce. The NJ AI Assistant is a generative AI tool that will provide a “sandbox” environment for state employees, enabling them to improve services and operations responsibly.

Hosted on state infrastructure, the tool has solid security and privacy protections that ensure state data cannot be used to train third-party AI models.

Parallelly, the baseline GenAI training course has been developed in partnership with upskilling platform InnovateUS. The course intends to educate employees on the responsible use of AI technology, stressing safety, security, privacy, and adherence to state policies.

The training covers GenAI basics, best practices, risk management strategies, and practical applications such as improving public information and new content generation. Moreover, the course is free, voluntary, and self-paced.

“With the launch of the state’s very own AI assistant and the GenAI training course, we are on the cusp of a new era of government transformation. We are empowering our public servants with the knowledge, skills, and training to comfortably and responsibly leverage this technology to solve real problems for New Jerseyans,“ Murphy said. “I look forward to all the ways our State departments and agencies will put this technology to good use, ensuring New Jersey remains the best place to live, work, and raise a family.”

“Generative AI is evolving in real time, and now our public workforce will be on the forefront of advancing this technology and helping to realize its boundless potential to build a better New Jersey,” said New Jersey State Chief AI Strategist Beth Simone Noveck. “This tool and training will help State departments enhance public service delivery, improve efficiency, and ensure these innovations are accessible and beneficial to all New Jerseyans while protecting their rights and privacy.”

The AI training course is accessible through the New Jersey Civil Service Commission’s learning management system.

PODCAST | Experiment, Play With Tools and Ask Your Peers to Learn — Blackbaud CDO