Q&AI: Navigating AI Adoption in Government - Insights from Jennifer Saha

Discover the transformative power of AI in government with our special guest, Jennifer Saha, CEO of Golden Bridge Strategies. Jennifer helps shed light on the differences between traditional AI and generative AI, the impact of AI on jobs and contracts, and the regulatory landscape at state and federal levels.

We also uncover the pivotal role of California's Department of Technology as a central hub for AI development, offering essential resources such as training and risk assessments. Jennifer shares crucial advice for government agencies and vendors preparing to integrate AI technologies, emphasizing the importance of readiness and transparency.

Jennifer is a former governor’s appointee in California by both republican and democratic governors where she served at executive levels of government for a decade. She joined the Computing Technology Industry Association where she covered government procurement nationally. Founding Golden Bridge Strategies was a natural next step in her passion for connecting the industry to the government.

Key points covered:

Adoption of AI in government: Jennifer Saha, CEO of Golden Bridge Strategies, shares her experience working in both government and the private sector, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of integrating AI into government operations.

Generative AI: Emphasizing the distinction between traditional AI and generative AI, Jennifer notes that generative AI is a revolutionary technology that the government is eager to adopt. That said, the implementation process is slow due to various hurdles.

Job impact: Jennifer believes that AI will not replace jobs in the government sector. Instead, employees will spend more time overseeing AI outcomes rather than generating work themselves.

Regulations and compliance: Jennifer discusses the regulatory landscape for AI in the U.S. and how it compares with Europe. Currently, there is a patchwork of rules across different states and jurisdictions, making it challenging for companies to navigate.

Future of AI in government: Jennifer is optimistic about the future impact of AI on government services and employees. She advises government agencies to get familiar with AI and for vendors to be prepared for transparency and regulatory hurdles.

Where to find Jennifer Saha:

Website - https://goldenbridgestrategies.com/about/jennifer-saha/

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-saha

Where to find Bob Friday:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bobfriday/

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Have any suggestions for future episodes or want to be a guest on the show? Reach out to us at Q-AI-podcast@juniper.net.

We hope you enjoyed this episode!

Chapters and Timestamps:
**Introducing Jennifer Saha** (00:00:03 - 00:01:19)
**Defining AI in Government** (00:01:19 - 00:02:21)
**Adoption of AI in Government** (00:02:21 - 00:03:36)
**Impact of AI on Jobs and Contracts** (00:03:36 - 00:04:46)
**Trust and Transparency in AI** (00:04:46 - 00:05:56)
**Regulatory Landscape for AI** (00:05:56 - 00:07:07)
**California's Approach to AI Regulations** (00:07:07 - 00:08:23)
**City-Level Regulations and Challenges** (00:08:23 - 00:09:15)
**Future AI Regulations in California** (00:09:15 - 00:10:27)
**Resources for AI Businesses in California** (00:10:27 - 00:11:37)
**Generative AI Use Cases in Government** (00:11:37 - 00:12:57)
**Existing Regulatory Frameworks for AI** (00:12:57 - 00:13:49)
**Executive Orders and Task Forces** (00:13:49 - 00:14:29)
**Final Thoughts and Advice** (00:14:29 - 00:15:42)