As state and local governments look to expand their use of artificial intelligence (AI), technology leaders in Clark County, Nev., and Durham, N.C., say successful adoption depends on more than new tools – it requires investments in digital infrastructure, stronger coordination across government systems, and a clear understanding of the public services AI can improve.
During a recent MeriTalk SLG webinar, sponsored by Dell Technologies and NVIDIA, government and industry experts discussed how communities can build the infrastructure needed to support AI while addressing challenges involving broadband access, data sharing, workforce readiness, and security.
For Bob Leek, chief information officer for Clark County, AI adoption begins with a practical question: Which of the county’s more than 700 public services could work better?
Leek said the county is approaching AI as “augmented intelligence” – a way to improve existing services rather than introduce technology for its own sake.
Business licensing is one example. Leek said AI could help address application errors and workflow bottlenecks, potentially reducing a process that takes three to four weeks to two weeks. For business owners, that could mean opening sooner and beginning to generate revenue.
The approach reflects a broader challenge facing state and local governments: determining where AI can deliver measurable improvements while ensuring the underlying infrastructure can support those capabilities.
Matt Fraser, a member of Dell Technologies’ Mission Executive Office and former chief technology officer of New York City, said governments often already have the technology they need but struggle to connect systems across departments.
“Cities seldomly have challenges because they don’t have technology,” Fraser said. “What they tend to have a lot of challenges behind is the fact that that technology doesn’t communicate and talk to each other.”
Fraser pointed to emergency response, traffic management, and building safety systems as examples of government capabilities that could benefit from stronger integration.
That coordination also raises questions about data governance and privacy. Fraser said governments need appropriate agreements and safeguards to share information across agencies without infringing on residents’ rights.
He described a potential model in which information submitted for one government benefit could help determine a resident’s eligibility for other services, reducing the need for repeated applications.
Michael Sherwood, senior account manager for state and local government at NVIDIA and former chief innovation and technology officer for the city of Las Vegas, said AI could help local governments make better use of information that has historically remained separated across departments.
Information held by law enforcement, business licensing, parks and recreation, and finance departments could become more useful when agencies can securely share and analyze it, he said. But doing so also requires governments to address data governance and information-sharing policies.
Sherwood emphasized that the goal is not to replace government employees, but to reduce routine administrative work and allow them to focus on higher-value services.
But those capabilities depend on governments first establishing their operational priorities, Sherwood said.
“It’s not about the technology, it’s about your readiness,” he said.
For local leaders, that readiness also extends beyond government IT systems to the communities they serve.
Leek said nearly 20% of Clark County residents rely on cell phones as their primary internet connection, creating barriers to education, telehealth, and remote work.
Durham Mayor Leo Williams similarly emphasized the importance of digital inclusion, describing the city’s work with Digital Durham to expand connectivity through mobile Wi-Fi hotspots available to residents.
Williams said local governments must ensure that advances in AI do not leave communities with limited internet access or digital literacy further behind.
The discussion underscored the need for state and local governments to coordinate AI planning across technology, public policy, infrastructure, and community services rather than treating adoption as a stand-alone IT initiative.
View the full discussion.