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WHEREAS the State of Alabama is a pioneer in the development and use of
advanced technologies, from manufacturing nanotechnology to empowering
mankind to walk on the moon;
WHEREAS Generative Artificial Intelligence (“GenAI”) represents a
significant step forward in technology that will transform the way that the State
and the world conduct business and serve the public;
WHEREAS GenAI has the potential to catalyze innovation and the rapid
development of a wide range of benefits for Alabamians, but must be deployed
carefully to mitigate and guard against a new generation of risks;
WHEREAS responsible and ethical use of GenAI should be conducted within
a governance structure that ensures transparency, tests for bias, addresses
privacy concerns, and safeguards our values;
WHEREAS the State of Alabama seeks to realize the potential benefits of
GenAI for the good of all Alabamians, through the development and
deployment of GenAI tools that improve the delivery of services, while
balancing the benefits and risks of these new technologies;
WHEREAS the people of Alabama demand and expect that their state
government operate in the most efficient way possible; and
WHEREAS the Alabama state workforce is vital to Alabama’s continued
prosperity and the State seeks to harness the potential of GenAI for the benefit
of the state government workforce;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Kay Ivey, Governor of the State of Alabama, by virtue
of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the State of
Alabama do hereby promulgate this executive order, effective immediately:
1. Task Force. The Governor’s Task Force on Generative Artificial
Intelligence is hereby established. The purpose of this Task Force is to
understand current uses of GenAI in state executive-branch agencies,
encourage the responsible and effective use of GenAI in state executivebranch agencies, and recommend policies and procedures related to the
use of GenAI in state executive-branch agencies going forward.
a. Chair. The chair of the Task Force shall be appointed by, and serve
at the pleasure of, the Governor. The chair of the Task Force may
oversee implementation of the order and the work of the Task
Force; convene and preside at meetings; and request assistance
from the Governor’s Office as needed.
b. Membership. The members of the Task Force shall be appointed
by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Governor.
c. Meetings. The Task Force shall hold its first meeting at the call of
the chair. It shall meet periodically thereafter as deemed necessary
by the chair. To the greatest extent practicable, the Task Force
shall receive presentations by experts from the private and
nonprofit sectors as well as experienced state employees.
d. Compensation and expenses. Members of the Task Force shall
serve without compensation but may elect to receive the per diem
and transportation allowance authorized by state law for persons
traveling on official state business.
e. State-agency cooperation. State agencies and other state-funded
entities shall cooperate with the Task Force and provide
information requested by the Task Force.
f. Technical assistance. The Office of Information Technology will
supply clerical, administrative, and other technical assistance as
deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Information Technology.
g. Duration. The Task Force shall be dissolved upon the submission
of its report.
2. Report. By November 30, 2024, the Task Force shall submit a final report
to the Governor as follows:
a. Findings. The report shall contain a detailed and accurate
description of the current use of GenAI in executive-branch
agencies. Without disclosing legally protected or otherwise
sensitive security information, these findings should include a
description of the risk, if any, posed by any current and ongoing
uses of GenAI within the executive branch.
b. Recommendations. The Task Force shall study, evaluate, and
develop policy and administrative recommendations related to
the responsible deployment of GenAI in state government.
Specific areas of inquiry should include each of the following:
i. Developing a set of principles and values that will guide
the development and use of GenAI within state
government.
ii. Developing a governance framework that outlines the
policies, procedures, and processes for the development,
deployment, and use GenAI, with special attention paid to:
(1) data management (outlining how AI data will be
collected, stored, used, and shared); (2) model
development (outlining the process for developing, testing,
and deploying AI models); (3) model monitoring (outlining
how AI models will be monitored for performance, bias,
and security vulnerabilities; and (4) human oversight
(outlining the role of humans in the oversight and control
of AI systems).
iii. Determining how to educate and train current and future
workers in the use of GenAI as the technology matures and
as worker knowledge increases.
iv. Improving government services and government
efficiency.
v. Any other recommendations for further executive action or
legislation.
3. GenAI Inventory. By May 1, 2024, each state executive-branch agency
shall submit to the Task Force an inventory report of all instances of
GenAI being developed, employed, or procured by the agency. The
report shall be provided on a form to be prescribed by the chair of the
Task Force. For each instance, the inventory report shall include a
description of:
a. The name and vendor of the GenAI, if any;
b. The GenAI’s general capabilities;
c. The purpose and proposed use of the GenAI;
d. Any steps taken to ensure any use of GenAI occurs safely and
responsibly.
Each state executive-branch agency shall appoint a senior level
management personnel who will be responsible for conducting and
reporting the results of the inventory to the Task Force.
4. Facilitating responsible development of GenAI applications. The
Office of Information Technology shall establish the cloud infrastructure
to allow state agencies to safely and responsibly conduct GenAI pilot
projects. Such infrastructure shall include OIT-approved environments,
or “sandboxes,” to test such projects. These environments will be
available to state agencies and departments to help evaluate GenAI tools
and services, to further safe, ethical, and responsible implementations,
and to inform decisions to use GenAI. Each agency using these
environments will be responsible for their own data and usage charges.
5. Promoting productive and efficient use of GenAI. All state executive branch agencies shall consider pilot projects of GenAI applications in
consultation with experts from state government, academia, and
industry. In a controlled setting, such pilot projects should measure (1)
how GenAI can improve Alabamians’ experience with and access to
government services and (2) how GenAI can support state employees in
the performance of their duties. Each state executive-branch agency (and
any other agency that conducts GenAI pilot projects via OIT-approved
sandboxes) shall report the results of any such pilot project to the
Secretary of Information Technology or his designee.
6. Applicability. For purposes of this order, “state executive-branch
agency” means any agency, department, board, office, commission, or
other entity within the executive branch of state government.
7. Implementation. This order shall be implemented to the maximum extent possible consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. Nothing in this order shall be construed as impairing or otherwise affecting the authority granted by law to a executive branch agency, or the head thereof, including the Governor of the State of Alabama, except to the extent expressly set forth in this order.
8. No private right of action. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any private party against the State of Alabama, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
9. Effect on prior related orders. Any previously issued executive order is hereby rescinded to the extent it conflicts with this executive order.
DONE AND ORDERED this 8th day of February 2024.