The State of New York is expanding its artificial intelligence (AI) training program to reach more than 100,000 state government employees, building on a successful pilot begun last year.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the expansion on April 6, extending AI education and access to a secure generative AI tool across the state workforce to help employees use the technology responsibly and improve public services.
Officials said the expansion fulfills a 2025 State of the State pledge by the governor to make New York the leader among states in deploying such a program at scale.
The program includes both training and access to AI Pro – a generative AI assistant developed by the state’s Office of Information Technology Services and powered by Google Gemini. The initiative is designed to help employees build skills, explore practical uses of AI, and identify ways the technology can improve government operations and service delivery.
The program expansion follows a pilot launched last fall that included more than 1,200 participants across eight state agencies, ranging from administrative and policy roles to technical and service delivery functions. The pilot introduced employees to AI tools and training focused on responsible use in a public sector context.
Results from the pilot showed strong engagement and measurable impact, the governor’s office said.
Seventy-five percent of participants reported saving time using AI Pro, while 90% said their understanding of AI improved. Participants generated more than 170,000 prompts during the pilot, and 86% said they wanted to continue using the tool.
Many participants entered the pilot with limited experience using AI, with 41% reporting no prior use of generative AI tools and 87% saying they had not previously received formal training. Overall confidence in using AI increased by 36% following the pilot.
“We are putting New York at the forefront of the AI revolution, ensuring that the journey forward is safe and responsible,” Hochul said. “I’m excited to fulfill our vision of embracing innovation, upskilling our employees and better serving New Yorkers.”
The training program, delivered in partnership with InnovateUS, is structured as a two-part curriculum focused on responsible AI use and practical applications for government work.
The training will be offered to all state employees, while use of the AI Pro tool will be accompanied by required responsible-use training for participating agencies.
New York State Chief Information Officer (CIO) Dru Rai said the initiative reflects a broader effort to modernize government services while preparing employees to adopt emerging technologies.
“Governor Hochul has been a national leader without peer when it comes to leveraging technology to enhance productivity in government, improve service delivery and create efficiencies so state agencies can better serve the public,” Rai said.
“Responsible AI will bring us limitless possibilities to enact positive change, while giving our employees an opportunity to grow their own skills for the future,” the CIO predicted.
State officials said the next phase of the program will focus on expanding adoption across more than 50 agencies supported by ITS, adding new capabilities to the AI Pro tool, and continuing to integrate AI into government operations in ways that improve efficiency while maintaining oversight and responsible use.
