A combination of hiring former feds and making smart use of artificial intelligence could help state and local agencies upskill their workforces and maximize efficiency when they need it most.

by Dominick Sorrentino for statetechmagazine.com

First came the federal job cuts. There have been an estimated 26,000 so far in 2025, according to Reuters, and potentially more to come. Gov. Wes Moore quickly seized this opportunity to draw skilled workers to the state of Maryland. So did New York, and Pennsylvania.

Then came the specter of federal funding cuts. COVID funding, social services, Medicaid, education and public health are areas that have been, or are expected to be, targeted for funding reductions. But where challenges loom, others also see opportunities to transform and modernize state and local government operations, particularly as it pertains to preparing for artificial intelligence.

“Within disruption is the chance to really effectuate change,” says Daniel May, director of procurement talent development at the National Association of State Procurement Officials. “I think we have a chance now to really modernize state technologies, approach our procurement practices differently and connect those two in ways that we haven’t done before.”

Click here to read more.