Ahead of new administration, remaining agile is key, Code For America CEO says

With the end of 2024 fast approaching and a new presidential administration set to take over Jan. 20, some government officials and tech experts are apprehensive about the potential policy changes to come.

President-elect Trump has expressed interest in eliminating important federal agencies, such as the Department of Education, the Cyber Infrastructure and Security Agency, and the Department of Energy, that have major impacts on the tech sector.

But rather than backing down in the face of these perilous changes, government organizations should embrace the opportunity during this transition, said Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, a nonprofit organization that partners with federal, state, and local government agencies to help them better deliver services, with a focus on supporting low-income communities.

“For us at Code for America, I would say the greatest strength we’ve honed in on is our ability to like, be agile and move quickly to a new moment that needs the work that we do and really helping governments meet people in those moments of crisis, change, challenge,” Renteria told StateScoop on Thursday, ahead of her remarks at the Aspen Policy Academy’s Policy at the Speed of Tech event in San Francisco, where government officials and tech leaders met to discuss the important relationship between policy and technology.

As an example of this, Renteria said the COVID-19 pandemic forced government agencies at all levels to change the way they deliver services to their constituents, and make digital access a priority.

“Many folks really upgraded their data and their data share, their data capabilities during the pandemic. And those states that not only came in data ready, but also made it even better throughout the pandemic, are most equipped to move forward and really try new tech tools,” Renteria said.

Tools, she said, that incorporate generative AI, the emerging technology of the moment.

Dozens of states, including Washington, Virginia, and California, spent the better part of 2024 advancing AI research with task forces or commissions and through legislation designed to mitigate concerns of bias and workforce disruption.

Without more centralized guidance from the federal government, Renteria urged state governments to move carefully when adopting generative AI tools, stressing the need for clean data and proper infrastructure, a stark contrast from the urgency of the private sector.

“You do need to have smooth systems that you understand how the information works across, different agencies, from case workers or frontline application to distribution of funds or benefits,” she explained. “What we’re seeing is states who are what we would call ‘AI ready’ to do a pilot with us, they’re equally committed to making sure the infrastructure is ready for it.”

AI-ready states

Renteria noted successful pilots in states like Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, and Utah that are well-prepared for AI implementation.

Earlier this year Colorado began building a comprehensive data inventory so officials can more accurately locate information. Renteria added that Minnesota and Michigan both use integrated approaches to safety net programs, such as healthcare and food pantries, bringing often siloed departments together to more effectively deliver services.

“[These states] have that robust, modernized systems that really bring different programs together, and the data behind that, it gives them a real opportunity to be ready to help when people have problems or [question] are we administering this in the right way and how can we utilize AI to identify when people are running into problems?”

Renteria said the success of these generative AI pilots can also be attributed to the relationship that agencies have built with their state legislatures and stressed the importance of policy alignment with technology to avoid barriers to entry.

For instance, she explained how policy changes were necessary to streamline the expungement process in California.

“The State of California wanted to help people clear their records. The problem was we helped people fill out those applications and then it just sat in a court system. And so the barrier became the court system,” Renteria explained “So you needed policy to say, actually, if they fulfilled all these different things, it should be automatically expunged. You don’t need a judge to do that. And so by putting in policy, it can automatically be expunged.”

Renteria said AI has also revitalized the conversation around government modernization, making change feel not just necessary, but possible.

“What AI has done is it’s given a sort of a cool, interesting conversation that feels possible to change things. And that’s one of the most important cultural changes that I think AI has brought to the discussion of being in government” Renteria said. “Finally, we’re beginning to tackle some of those infrastructure problems that states have always had. That’s the exciting part of it, too.”

Meeting the moment

Renteria said she remains optimistic about the incoming presidential administration’s potential to continue improving digital services and the customer experience built during the Biden administration, while also maintaining accountability and trust.

“We are in a world of a whole new generation who are expecting to be able to connect with government in the way that they do with all the other private sector services they need, or when they need or interact with stuff,” she said, adding, “And I think there is an opportunity here, especially if this administration wants to really rethink it all. I hope they don’t lose sight of the connection to real people.”