Presented by EY
In the series premiere of The Four Futures of AI, host Francis Rose introduces audiences to the "Growth" scenario. Rather than a vertical launch into a sci-fi future, this episode explores the pragmatic, slow-and-steady evolution of artificial intelligence. In this future, the initial chaos and hype of AI give way to a steady state of continued innovation, acting as an everyday workhorse for the public sector.
Experts in this episode examine how AI is already quietly integrating into our daily administrative lives. From drafting emails and generating code to predictive maintenance and infrastructure planning, government agencies are discovering how AI can amplify human function, offset drudgery, and break down bureaucratic silos. Through practical, real-world examples, this episode breaks down the foundational steps needed to harness AI across five key domains:
Workforce Transformation
The episode begins by exploring how AI acts as a co-pilot for the federal and state workforce. Rather than replacing civil servants, AI is being deployed to offload routine, banal tasks—allowing employees to focus on more creative, high-impact missions. Experts discuss the shift in job categories, how to manage AI adoption across different segments of the workforce, and the importance of learning from the employees who are leaning into these new tools to benefit the entire organization.
The Data Foundation
You cannot build an intelligent system on a foundation of garbage. This chapter focuses on the absolute necessity of high-quality, clean data. Government leaders detail the critical groundwork happening right now to pull data out of isolated agency silos and bring it together. By establishing a strong, unified data foundation, AI models can provide accurate, actionable insights to better serve the public.
Smart Infrastructure
The discussion moves into the physical world, exploring how AI is shifting public infrastructure from a reactive posture to an anticipatory one. The episode highlights real-world applications happening right now, such as reducing the response times for highway crashes, seamlessly reading vehicle information to eliminate tolling bottlenecks, and leveraging existing city cameras to optimize on-demand waste pickup and parking enforcement.
National Security & Defense
In the defense and intelligence communities, AI is revolutionizing how information is processed. This chapter explores how analysts are moving away from insurmountable stacks of paper and using AI to rapidly triage and prioritize data. While maintaining a critical "human-in-the-loop" safeguard, defense experts explain how AI accelerates everything from identifying cyber vulnerabilities to synthesizing global intelligence, allowing military personnel to spend less time searching for data and more time applying their expertise.
Citizen Experience
The episode concludes with a look at how AI is democratizing access to government services. Through the concept of a "No Wrong Door" policy, AI can guide citizens seamlessly through complex bureaucratic processes—like starting a business—across multiple departments. From deploying centralized translation offices that save states hundreds of thousands of dollars to creating fast, intuitive online platforms, this chapter highlights the ultimate goal of AI in government: building a system that feels more responsive and more human to the citizens it serves.
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Guests Appearing in the Episode:
- Francis Rose, Host
- Jim Bryson, Co-Chair, AI Advisory Council, Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration
- Dan Cronin, Chief Information Officer, State of Oklahoma
- Ken Dircks, Infrastructure & Transportation Solution Lead, EY
- Ryan Doherty, Principal, Government & Public Sector Technology Consulting, EY
- Dennis Eger, Senior OSINT Advisor, Army
- Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy, Cato Institute
- Amy Jones, Principal, EY
- Dave Larrimore, Former CTO and CAIO, DHS
- Frank Lee, Defense Sector Lead, EY
- Dawn Meyerriecks, Former Deputy Director for Science and Technology, CIA
- Felipe Millon, Public Sector Go to Market, OpenAI
- Brian Peretti, Former CTO and CAIO, Treasury Department
- Pavan Pidugu, CIO, DOT
- Dru Rai, CIO, State of New York
- Mark Roberts, Manager, Artificial Intelligence Engineering, EY\
- Paul Rodrigues, Chief AI Officer, National Security Group, Microsoft
- Anh Selissen, CIO, Texas Department of Transportation
- Nishant Shah, Senior Advisor for Responsible AI, State of Maryland
- Rep. James Walkinshaw, Congressman (D), Virginia
- Zach Whitman, CDO and CAIO, GSA
- Rep. Rob Wittman, Congressman (R), Virginia