Penn Today
The University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s Office of Administration have signed a cooperative agreement for artificial intelligence advising services. The agreement leverages Penn’s faculty experts and leadership to support AI policy and provide the Commonwealth with expertise related to AI organizational strategy, risk assessment, and governance.
Penn President J. Larry Jameson, who was joined by Pennsylvania’s Chief Transformation Officer Ben Kirshner, announced the agreement at “Unlocking AI for Public Good,” a daylong summit hosted by the University of Pennsylvania and Governor Shapiro’s Office convening Penn leaders and experts; public sector leaders from the state, county, and local government levels; and labor partners, policy makers, and colleagues from industry.
“Pennsylvania is leading the way in this new era of artificial intelligence—just as we did during the agricultural and industrial revolutions,” said Shapiro. “AI is evolving faster than any technology in decades, and to stay ahead, we’re connecting our world-class research institutions like Penn, our innovative private sector, and our forward-looking state and local governments to harness its power responsibly. This technology is here to stay and by leaning into our strengths—from our skilled workforce and leading energy sector to our world-class universities and research institutions—Pennsylvania is showing the nation how we can use AI to grow our economy, empower workers, and deliver better, faster results for the people we serve.”
“The University of Pennsylvania has proudly served our Commonwealth for nearly 300 years, and this new AI cooperative agreement with Governor Shapiro’s administration builds on that distinction,” said Jameson. “Generative AI is rapidly changing how we work, learn, and innovate. In sharing Penn’s interdisciplinary expertise with Commonwealth policymakers and legislators, we aim to inform AI policies that benefit and protect all Pennsylvanians.”