With AI readiness becoming a “cross-cutting economic development imperative for local communities,” city and county leaders have a clear new mission – to make sure that technological infrastructure, workforce development, data governance and AI education is fully in place.

AI readiness is becoming a “cross-cutting economic development imperative for local communities,” according to a new report by the National Academy of Public Administration in conjunction with Google.

That gives local leaders new responsibilities to make sure that their own communities are not left behind given widely varying local conditions in broadband access, digital infrastructure and workforce training, which stand in the way of AI development.

According to the September report, the root to overcoming challenges requires “strategic investment, community engagement and sustained support from local governments and partners.”

To help communities increase knowledge and local business adaptation to AI tools, the report suggests the following:

• A focus on collaborative networks. “Partnerships among local leaders, technical experts, educators, advocates and end users can help achieve broad input and smoother implementation."

• Engaging residents and stakeholders. Through planning, refining strategies, and addressing concerns, leaders can allay community fears and gain user focus. The report suggests using focus groups, townhalls and surveys to connect with businesses and residents.

• Ensuring solid technological infrastructure. This includes attention to broadband capability, energy issues, cloud capabilities and potential cybersecurity concerns. As the report states, “Without high-volume, high-speed internet . . . data flows can become bottlenecked, leading to delays, errors or system failures.”

• Investment in Workforce Development. Reskilling and upskilling programs are critical given AI’s ability to handle routine jobs and the impact that has on accelerated training needs. This is also a necessity for attracting companies that need to find qualified workers.

• Promoting ethical guidance. An interesting example comes from San Jose, which developed AI Fact Sheets for a vendor registry that identifies “companies with AI practices and values that align with the city’s AI and privacy values.” The registry helps the government, community organizations and stakeholders to identify providers.

• Open data and data governance. According to the report, “the availability of high-quality open data can improve AI learning and performance.” It can also enhance AI applications across real estate, transportation, health, finance and other sectors. In addition, strong data governance fosters responsible AI innovation, reduces business risks and builds public trust, creating a stable environment for AI-driven growth.

The report also includes a variety of other recommendations centered around building awareness about AI goals or risks; aligning with state and national guidelines, measuring and evaluating performance and following community adoption of AI through dashboards that communicate AI’s community and economic impact.

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