New Jersey recognized as ‘Advanced’ in AI readiness, among top three states nationally
NEW JERSEY — New Jersey has been named one of only three states in the nation to achieve the highest designation of “Advanced” in a new report on artificial intelligence (AI) readiness by nonprofit civic tech leader Code for America.
The designation highlights New Jersey’s comprehensive and forward-thinking approach to AI governance, capacity building, and technical infrastructure across state government. According to the report, “New Jersey is advanced in its strong commitment to AI development through comprehensive policies, ethical frameworks, capacity building, and infrastructure investments. The state’s proactive approach positions it as a leader in responsible AI adoption and innovation.”
“Responsibly harnessing the immense potential of AI not only enhances government delivery to our residents but also positions New Jersey as a leader in economic growth in this rapidly evolving field,” said Governor Phil Murphy.
New Jersey was the first state to adopt an AI use policy and launched an AI Task Force to engage residents and guide its strategy in areas such as ethics, innovation, and governance. The state also implemented an anti-discrimination policy to prevent AI misuse in housing and employment.
The report also cited New Jersey’s launch of the NJ AI Hub, a partnership between the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), Princeton University, Microsoft, and CoreWeave. The facility, now under construction, is designed to serve as a hub for AI innovation, bringing together researchers, startups, and industry leaders.
The state has also introduced the AI Innovation Challenge Grant Program through NJEDA, offering nearly $4 million in grants to teams building AI-based software solutions using state data.
“Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey is harnessing the economic potential of AI by making crucial investments into entrepreneurs and companies leading the industry’s growth,” said NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan.
New Jersey has invested in training government workers to use AI responsibly and ethically. Since launching the New Jersey AI Assistant in July 2024, more than 15,000 state workers have used the generative AI tool, inputting over 500,000 prompts. Developed in-house by the New Jersey Office of Innovation, the tool provides services including call center support, document translation, and website comment analysis—all at an average cost of $1 per user per month.
“We built a safe and secure AI Assistant tool, we equipped state workers to use it, and we’re now a model for how state governments can cost-effectively harness the potential of AI,” said New Jersey State Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole.
The state’s Office of Information Technology has worked to ensure that New Jersey’s technical infrastructure can support ongoing and future AI developments.
“We have come a long way in ensuring that state IT infrastructure can support AI, and we will continue to build and enhance AI capacity as we look to the future,” said New Jersey State Chief Technology Officer Chris Rein.
According to the report, New Jersey stands alongside California and Colorado in achieving the “Advanced” designation, setting a benchmark for responsible and innovative AI implementation at the state level.
