ALBANY, NY (October 11, 2025) — Assemblymember Steve Otis praised New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s new artificial intelligence training pilot program Friday as a key example of the state leading responsibly in AI adoption, fulfilling a 2025 State of the State pledge to equip tens of thousands of employees with skills to use the technology safely.
“This announcement provides the latest example of New York’s recognition that responsible AI use by state agencies needs to come with training and a focus on quality control,” Otis said. “Governor Hochul and our NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) understand that New York’s success in AI will continue to depend upon training and careful use of AI tools. The same lesson should be followed by private companies choosing to bring AI systems to the workplace. This pilot program is an example of the state leading by example. Careful and wise use of AI is an ongoing priority of our Assembly Science and Technology Committee and our partners in the Senate. The Governor’s announcement is good news on a rapidly evolving technology issue.”
The pilot extends a comprehensive education course from InnovateUS, an online platform governed by public sector learning and innovation leaders serving more than 150 government agencies nationwide. It includes a two-part training designed to teach New York state employees about responsible AI use in the public sector.
Accompanying the training is the ITS AI Pro generative AI tool, developed by the New York State Office of Information Technology Services and powered by Google Gemini. The tool provides a secure environment for employees to practice AI skills and explore ideas for agency problem-solving.
The program targets 1,000 state workers and aims to equip them with knowledge to harness emerging technologies for the public good.
“From the moment we first announced Empire AI, I vowed to put New York State at the forefront of the AI revolution and to ensure that our journey forward was safe, responsible and thoughtful,” Hochul said. “I appreciate ITS leadership for their work and look forward to reviewing the results and hearing ideas from our talented workforce about how we can innovate to better serve New Yorkers.”
New York State Chief Information Officer and ITS Director Dru Rai said, “Governor Hochul is providing the leadership and the vision to make New York State a national leader in leveraging this powerful and ever-changing technology, allowing us to create efficiencies that help agencies better serve the public. This is an exciting moment on this journey — responsible AI will bring us limitless possibilities to enact positive change to the way our government operates and serves New Yorkers, all while giving our hardworking employees an opportunity to build and grow their own skills for the future.”
The pilot is guided by ITS and features a diverse group of volunteer users from state agencies covering health, human services, public safety, state operations and infrastructure. Results will inform the next phase of AI adoption in state government. The program is scheduled to conclude at the end of the year.
Google New York Public Affairs Manager MJ Henshaw said, “Equipping New York State employees with both the skills and tools to use AI responsibly is critical to unlocking the potential of this technology to drive efficiency, enabling public servants to better serve their constituents. ITS AI Pro, powered by Gemini, underscores Google’s commitment to supporting New York State’s digital transformation, and we applaud Governor Hochul’s focus on setting an example for the ways that government can embrace technology to build a better future.”
InnovateUS Director Beth Noveck said, “With the expansion of artificial intelligence’s capabilities, it is essential that everyone, including governments, are equipped with the knowledge to use these technologies safely. We are thrilled to be partnering with New York State and are grateful to Governor Hochul for the opportunity.”
Hochul’s initiative builds on her broader innovation agenda, including the $500 million Empire AI partnership among New York’s public and private universities to establish an AI computing center at SUNY’s University at Buffalo.
Last year, Hochul launched the Emerging Technology Advisory Board, co-chaired by IBM CEO Arvind Krishna and Girls Who Code CEO Dr. Tarika Barrett. The board released initial recommendations in December 2024.
The AI training pilot is part of 2025 State of the State initiatives for equitable AI growth, including training students for AI-enabled jobs, funding New York AI startups, supporting small businesses with AI adoption and tracking technology’s workforce impact.
At Hochul’s direction, ITS issued the first statewide policy on the acceptable use of AI technologies, serving as a roadmap for agencies to adopt AI thoughtfully, safely and responsibly while optimizing efficiencies.
The governor’s agenda has spurred investments, including GlobalFoundries’ $11.6 billion expansion of its chip manufacturing campus in New York’s Capital Region, creating 1,500 direct jobs and thousands indirect. In 2022, Micron announced a 20-year, $100 billion investment for a megafab campus in Central New York, creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs and unlocking hundreds of millions in community benefits.
This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.
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