Celebrating 1 Year of Horizons Innovation Lab

One year ago, we opened the doors to the Horizons Innovation Lab with a simple but important question:

How can government embrace the transformative potential of artificial intelligence while strengthening the trust citizens place in us?

That question has guided every conversation, every partnership, and every decision we've made over the past twelve months. It has also reinforced a belief that has only grown stronger with time: innovation is not defined by the technologies we adopt, but by the future we choose to build.

Artificial intelligence represents one of the most significant technological shifts of our generation. It has the potential to transform how governments operate, empower public servants, and improve the services we deliver every day. But technology alone does not shape the future. Leadership does.

As innovation accelerates, moving quickly is no longer enough. We must move intentionally. Public trust is earned through thoughtful governance, sound security, ethical decision-making, and an unwavering commitment to putting people first. Those principles have been the foundation of Horizons since its very beginning.

The name Horizons was chosen deliberately because meaningful innovation requires us to look beyond today's opportunities and prepare for tomorrow's possibilities.

The first horizon is about building a strong foundation. Before asking what AI can do, we must establish how it should be used. Governance, security, workforce readiness, ethics, and public trust are not obstacles to innovation—they are the conditions that make innovation sustainable.

The second horizon is where ideas become reality. Here, agencies bring forward real challenges, evaluate emerging technologies, validate business value, and learn through experimentation. It is where curiosity becomes capability.

The third horizon reminds us that our responsibility extends well beyond today's technologies. Whether the future brings increasingly capable AI agents, quantum computing, advanced robotics, or innovations we cannot yet imagine, our role is to ensure Georgia is prepared to lead with confidence rather than react to change.

That vision shaped an extraordinary first year.

Working alongside agencies across state government, we demonstrated how artificial intelligence can improve public services in practical and meaningful ways. We explored multilingual translation capabilities with the Department of Driver Services to help reduce language barriers for Georgians. We developed an AI-powered PDF Accessibility Assessor to advance digital accessibility. We piloted intelligent chatbots to improve customer experiences while enabling employees to focus on higher-value work. We also explored document intelligence, workflow automation, knowledge management, and content modernization; initiatives that continue to shape how governments can become more efficient, responsive, and effective.

One of the most meaningful examples of that discipline has been our collaboration with the University of North Georgia to advance AI ethics in the public sector. Together, we developed the Georgia AI Ethics Framework; a practical framework that helps agencies evaluate AI systems through the lenses of fairness, accountability, transparency, privacy, human oversight, and public trust. Rather than treating ethics as a theoretical exercise or a compliance checklist, we focused on creating guidance that public servants can apply to real-world decisions.

This collaboration reflects an important principle: responsible AI is not built by government alone. It is strengthened through partnerships that bring together the expertise of academia, industry, non-profits, and the public sector to ensure innovation remains aligned with the values we serve.

Perhaps our most insightful initiative was our enterprise pilot of ChatGPT.

Like many organizations, we wanted to understand where generative AI could deliver meaningful value for public servants. What surprised us most wasn't the technology… It was the creativity of our workforce.

Employees quickly discovered practical ways to research complex topics, summarize lengthy documents, draft communications, develop presentations, accelerate software development, and solve everyday business challenges. The greatest impact wasn't replacing work. It was giving talented people more time to focus on what only people can do: think critically, solve complex problems, exercise sound judgment, and better serve the citizens of Georgia.

One lesson became increasingly clear throughout the year: successful AI adoption is far less about technology than it is about leadership.

The organizations realizing the greatest value are not necessarily those with the newest tools. They are the ones that begin with a clear mission, invest in their people, establish thoughtful governance, and embrace continuous learning. Technology evolves quickly. Trust does not.

That realization also changed my own perspective.

At the beginning of this journey, I expected our greatest challenge to be understanding artificial intelligence. Instead, I found that our greatest opportunity was helping people build confidence in using it responsibly. The technology advanced rapidly, but the real transformation occurred when public servants began seeing AI not as something to fear, but as another tool to help them serve Georgians more effectively.

Responsible AI is not a destination; it is a discipline.

It requires humility to recognize what technology can do well and wisdom to recognize where human judgment must always remain essential. It requires transparency, accountability, and a commitment to continuous improvement. Innovation and responsibility are not competing priorities. They are inseparable.

Looking back on this first year, I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished. Even more exciting is what lies ahead.

The pace of innovation will continue to accelerate. New capabilities will emerge. Expectations will evolve. The challenges will become increasingly complex, but so will our ability to meet them.

Our responsibility is not to adopt every new technology. It is to thoughtfully evaluate every opportunity, manage every risk wisely, and ensure innovation always advances the public good.

That is the purpose of Horizons.

Over the past year, we have strengthened the first horizon, explored the second, and begun preparing for the third. The journey is only beginning, but the direction is clear.

As we begin our second year, I believe Georgia will continue to lead in operationalizing enterprise AI across state governments; not because we move fast, but because we are committed to moving thoughtfully, intentionally, and together. Our recent partnership with Darwin AI has helped us build the foundation to operationalizing AI governance.

The future of artificial intelligence in government will not be defined solely by algorithms or technology platforms. It will be defined by the decisions we make, the partnerships we build, and the values we choose to uphold.

That future is already taking shape here in Georgia.

Caption

The Atlanta Journal Constitution covers the Horizons Lab and GTA's work on the AI program.

I am deeply grateful to the remarkable team in the Office of Artificial Intelligence, our agency partners, our collaborators in academia and industry, and the many public servants across our state whose curiosity, professionalism, and commitment to public service have made this first year possible.

I am especially grateful to Shawnzia Thomas and the incredible team at the Georgia Technology Authority (GTA) for their steadfast support. Their belief that Georgia could lead responsibly in artificial intelligence made Horizons possible. Last but not the least, all the other states' AI Officers and Directors who visited the Horizons lab and shared their expertise to make the program better, a huge thanks y'all!

One year ago, we opened an innovation lab. Today, we are helping shape how state governments will use artificial intelligence for years to come.

The technologies will evolve. New horizons will emerge. The challenges will change.

But our mission remains the same: to ensure that innovation strengthens government, empowers public servants, earns public trust, and improves the lives of every Georgian.

That is the future we are building.

And we're just getting started. If you'd like to be part of this journey in any capacity, let's talk.

Related to: 

• In the News