Philadelphia, PA – Pennsylvania continues to strengthen its position as a national leader in responsible, ethical use of artificial intelligence (AI) through a new collaboration between the Commonwealth and the University of Pennsylvania announced today at the Unlocking AI for Public Good Conference in Philadelphia.
The Cooperative Agreement for Artificial Intelligence Advising Services enables the University of Pennsylvania to serve as a thought collaborator and advisor to the Commonwealth — providing expert guidance on AI policy, strategy, and implementation. The collaboration will support the Shapiro Administration’s efforts to harness AI responsibly and effectively to improve government operations and deliver better, faster service to Pennsylvanians.
The Unlocking AI for Public Good Conference, co-hosted by the University of Pennsylvania and the Office of the Governor Josh Shapiro, convened state and local government leaders, academic researchers, and industry experts to discuss how generative AI can be used responsibly to improve education, healthcare, banking, and public safety.
“Pennsylvania is leading the way in this new era of artificial intelligence — just as we did during the agricultural and industrial revolutions,” said Governor Shapiro. “AI is evolving faster than any technology in decades, and to stay ahead, we’re connecting our world-class research institutions like Penn, our innovative private sector, and our forward-looking state and local governments to harness its power responsibly. This technology is here to stay and by leaning into our strengths — from our skilled workforce and leading energy sector to our world-class universities and research institutions — Pennsylvania is showing the nation how we can use AI to grow our economy, empower workers, and deliver better, faster results for the people we serve.”
Several members of the Shapiro Administration participated in panels and discussions at the conference, including Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver, Secretary of Policy and Planning Akbar Hossain, Secretary of Human Services Valerie Arkoosh, Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen, and Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe, among others.
Building on a Strong Record of Responsible AI Leadership
The University of Pennsylvania collaboration builds on Governor Shapiro’s record of nation-leading AI governance and innovation, including:
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has positioned Pennsylvania as a national leader in responsible AI governance and innovation:
- Executive Order on AI: Established the nation’s strongest standards for AI use in state government, guided by 10 core values including accuracy, privacy, equity, and transparency.
- Generative AI Pilot Program: First-in-the-nation collaboration with OpenAI to test ChatGPT Enterprise with Commonwealth employees, saving workers an average of 95 minutes per day.
- AI Workforce Empowerment: Over 1,500 Commonwealth employees have completed InnovateUS training on responsible AI use, with another 4,100 enrolled and gaining access to Microsoft Copilot Chat and ChatGPT Enterprise.
- Labor Collaboration: Formed the Generative AI Labor and Management Collaboration Group to ensure workers have a voice in shaping how AI is used in government operations.
- National Recognition: Ranked among the top three states in the nation for AI readiness by Code for America’s 2025 Government AI Landscape Assessment.
- Historic Private Investment: Announced Amazon’s initial $20 billion investment to build AI and cloud computing campuses across the Commonwealth — the largest private-sector investment in state history, creating more than 1,250 high-paying tech jobs and thousands of construction and supplier positions.
Pennsylvania’s leadership in AI is rooted in the Commonwealth’s values of innovation, responsibility, and opportunity — Governor Shapiro and his Administration is committed to ensuring that this new technology delivers real results for workers, businesses, and communities across the Commonwealth.
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