The AI Center grows in 2026

What’s coming in 2026: How the AI Center for Government® is supporting a more responsive public sector 

Since 2024, the AI Center for Government has been committed to fostering AI leadership, talent and literacy across federal, state and local governments. This year we’re expanding our work with new programs, new projects, new research and a new thematic focus.

Our work remains anchored in our mission to empower public sector leaders with the tools, knowledge and networks they need to use artificial intelligence wisely and is now grounded in the Partnership’s collective initiative to help build a more effective, responsive and accountable government. 

Through this thematic focus, we’ll explore the role of AI in creating a more responsive government – a government that actively listens, analyses, adapts and delivers needed services swiftly, transparently and fairly to all members of the public. 

1. Evaluating AI’s real‑world impact  

In 2026, our primary research effort centers on understanding and helping agencies measure the public impact of their AI interventions. 

To better serve the public, government agencies must consider the immediate and the long-term social impact of their AI interventions. Alongside technical tools like red teaming and model evaluation, agencies must integrate effective, achievable impact assessment into their AI programs. Understanding how and when government AI implementations are, and are not, working for the people they serve will help agencies focus their resources on fit-for-purpose use cases.  

To help agencies achieve these goals, we will: 

• Map the landscape of AI impact evaluation in government 
• Capture on‑the‑ground stories from agencies 
• Highlight best practices 
• Develop tools and recommendations for assessing impact 
• Explore policy solutions to encourage achievable evaluation frameworks 

2. Collating a national AI use case inventory  

Government employees often ask: Who else has solved a challenge like this before? In 2026, we’ll help answer that. 

We’re building a searchable, sortable national inventory of government AI use cases as a repository that collects publicly-available public-sector AI use case inventories into a multimedia resource. We’ll pair this data with our written “Bright Spot” features and our live and recorded AI Use Case showcase demonstrations. This project will help leaders discover proven solutions, compare approaches and learn directly from peers across federal, state and local agencies. 

If your agency has an AI success story to share, we’d love to hear from you! 

3. Introducing the AI Advisory Council  

To guide the AI Center’s long‑term growth, strengthen our programming and expand our reach, we’re establishing a cross‑sector AI Advisory Council. We‘re gathering an extraordinary group of interdisciplinary experts to guide our work across the AI Center. We know we work better when we work in numbers.

4. Publishing the AI Leadership Model  

Public service leaders are being asked to make critical and potentially costly decisions about AI technology for mission delivery. To help them navigate these responsibilities, we’re releasing an AI Leadership Maturity Model, aligned with the Partnership Public Service Leadership Institute’s® core competencies. 

This framework will: 

• Define what responsible AI leadership looks like 
• Provide a checklist for self‑assessment 
• Help agencies chart their leadership maturity over time 

This model already guides our AI Government Leadership Program. 

5. Hosting a national AI summit in November and launching AI awards 

This year, we’ll bring together leaders from government, industry, policy and academia for a full‑day, interactive AI Summit to explore how public sector agencies can use AI to become more effective, responsive and accountable to the people they serve. 

The summit will: 

• Launch our new Government AI Awards 
• Feature interactive hybrid programming 
• Showcase research, insights and use cases 
• Convene experts to discuss the state of public sector AI 

If you are interested in receiving updates, please subscribe to our newsletter to be added to our outreach list. Keen to co‑sponsor this event? Reach out to [email protected]! 

6. Establishing the AI Talent Acquisition Program  

To help agencies hire and retain AI‑ready interns and early‑career professionals, we’re launching a “train‑the‑trainer” AI talent acquisition program. This program builds on our many years of providing government hiring support. 

Looking for a government role? Check out our Go Government site.

Continuing and expanding our core programs 

In addition to these new initiatives, we will deepen our existing programming: 

• AI Government Leadership Program. Offered since 2019 and continually updated, this program is designed to educate agency decision-makers on the opportunities around AI and highlight best practices for leading responsible AI strategy.  

• AI Internship Program. The Future Leaders in Public Service Internship Program helps bring new talent into government and offers students the opportunity to apply their educational training to work at government agencies. 

• AI bright spots. Our AI bright spot innovator series highlights leaders across government. We invite recommendations and self-nominations!   

• AI events, convenings and roundtables. With experts across government, Capitol Hill, industry and academia, we explore how AI, machine learning and intelligent automation may impact public service and democracy.   

• AI advocacy. Aligned with our Government for a New Era initiative, our Policy team offers evidence‑based recommendations to support responsible AI use and governance. 

Looking Ahead 

2026 marks a major step forward in our collective work to help government use AI responsibly, effectively and in service of the public. Whether you’re leading an AI project, exploring use cases, hiring new talent or simply trying to understand what AI means for your mission, we’re here to serve. 

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Continuing the conversation  

The AI Center for Government champions AI innovators across all levels of government. If your agency is taking steps to lead AI well, we’d love to hear from you. Join us as we highlight real-world AI use cases and convene public sector leaders from across the country to share tools and insights to lead confidently in the age of AI.  

We’re here to help!

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• Get in touch! Email us at [email protected].