UPenn launches Chief AI Officer Initiative to unite public AI leaders

The University of Pennsylvania's School of Arts & Sciences is launching the Chief AI Officer Initiative, a new program designed to support the growing number of state and local government officials tasked with integrating artificial intelligence into public services. Led by Dr. John Lapinski, the Robert A. Fox Leadership Professor of Political Science, the initiative launches this fall as part of the AI & Data Across SAS Collaborative. It addresses a critical gap: many Chief AI Officers are working in isolation, with no formal network, association, or mechanism to share best practices. Dr. Lapinski observed that governments are "starting from scratch" on responsible AI use and need structured collaboration.

The initiative will begin by building a network for these officers, hosting its first annual conference this coming academic year, and forging partnerships with local governments. Early collaborations include Philadelphia, where Dr. Lapinski hopes to start, plus exploration in Seattle and programming ties to San Francisco and Washington, D.C. through Penn's regional hubs. The program also creates experiential learning opportunities for Penn students, aiming to connect academic expertise in data science with real-world governance challenges. Ultimately, the initiative seeks to become a convening body—bringing together theory and practice, and helping cities and states navigate the "right mix" of AI adoption while preparing the next generation of public sector AI leaders.