Pennsylvania expanded generative AI to 3,000 employees, with thousands more in training

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Wednesday announced that the state has expanded the use of generative artificial intelligence tools, such as ChatGPT, to more than 3,000 state employees, across 35 agencies, with more enrolled in training to begin using the technology.

The announcement fulfills a vision laid out in Shapiro’s 2023 executive order, which created a roadmap for state employees to begin using generative AI. A subsequent order in January 2024 called for the state to run a pilot program using OpenAI’s ChatGPT Enterprise, in which Pennsylvania employees reportedly became the first state employees in the nation to experiment with the tool. The year-long pilot, which wrapped in May of 2025, showed that employees saved an average of about eight hours per week, freeing them up to do more complex work. The governor called the tool a “job enhancer.”

Shapiro said the expansion of the tool to the 3,000 employees was based on the success of the pilot, which saw new use cases emerge: drafting communications, summarizing materials, conducting research and brainstorming. Human resources staff in the administration office used generative AI to analyze and evaluate more than 3,600 open positions’ descriptions and job classifications for accuracy, helping the state to fill dozens of critical vacancies.

A governor’s news release detailed new use cases, including document processing. The state’s human services department has used the technology since October to analyze documents that have blurriness or image quality issues that could delay processing. That use, the governor’s office said, alleviated the need for caseworkers to attempt to decipher poor scans or ask clients to resubmit documents. The state’s Board of Pardons is using AI to assist with transferring information from handwritten clemency applications onto its online tracking system. 

An additional 6,500 employees are enrolled in training, from InnovateUS, on safe and responsible AI, which is a requirement for employees to complete before they use AI in their work.

 “AI is evolving quickly, and it’s opening doors to entirely new ways of solving problems and improving the services people rely on. We’re focused on making sure these opportunities translate into real benefits for residents and our workforce,” Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver said in the release. “Our early pilot showed what’s possible when innovation is supported by strong governance and thoughtful implementation. As AI continues to advance, the Commonwealth is committed to responsible adoption that empowers employees, strengthens our systems, and helps us deliver faster, clearer, and more accessible service for every Pennsylvanian.”