The Rockefeller Foundation and the Center for Civic Futures (CCF) launched a nationwide initiative to help U.S. state, territorial, and Tribal governments responsibly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) — an effort aimed at preventing fragmented, risky, or inequitable use of AI in public services.
The AI Readiness Project will expand CCF’s existing network of state Chief AI Officers and create shared infrastructure to support responsible AI adoption. The project includes new state-level pilot programs, monthly working groups, and a first-of-its-kind Government AI Knowledge Hub set to launch in 2026.
“AI is moving faster than any previous wave of innovation, and governments are being asked to make consequential decisions that will affect people’s lives for generations,” said Cass Madison, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Futures. “Our goal isn’t just to keep up with AI — it’s to make sure it helps government work better for people.”
Over the past year, CCF has worked with more than 30 states to help officials navigate AI systems used in benefits delivery, data management, licensing, and workforce programs. With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, the effort will now expand to cover all 50 states, U.S. territories, and Tribal Nations.
The project will coordinate working groups across three urgent policy areas: guardrails for “agentic AI,” workforce impacts, and evaluation and monitoring frameworks. It will also support at least ten state pilot projects in 2026, giving officials a low-risk environment to test responsible AI uses — from updating legacy code to monitoring AI decision outcomes.
“AI has the potential to make government faster, fairer, and more responsive, but only if it’s built and deployed with public trust at the center,” said Dr. Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “By building shared infrastructure and supporting real-world experimentation, we can ensure innovation strengthens — rather than undermines — people’s confidence in the systems that serve them.”
The initiative positions government as a proactive leader in a fast-moving AI era — not a reactive follower. Madison emphasized that the project is nonpartisan: “Leaders across the political spectrum share a common goal: making government work better for people.”
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