How AI Is Helping Government Companies in Baltimore Cut Costs and Improve Efficiency

Maryland leads the way in responsibly integrating AI into government services through its comprehensive 2025 AI Roadmap and the Office of AI Enablement, ensuring ethical, transparent, and productive AI adoption across state agencies.

Guided by Senior Advisor Nishant Shah, this office fosters collaboration between government bodies, academia, and industry to advance AI innovation, governance, and workforce development.

The Maryland AI Subcabinet's strategic plan emphasizes safe AI experimentation, governance frameworks, and public safety enhancements, including AI-driven cybersecurity and workflow automation for improved public services.

Complementing these efforts is the University of Maryland, Baltimore's AI Governance Policy, which upholds principles of fairness, accountability, and inclusivity in AI use.

Legislative measures such as Maryland's 2025 AI legislation reinforce consumer protection and ethical AI implementation. For those aiming to equip themselves with relevant AI skills to participate in this growing ecosystem, Nucamp Bootcamp, led by CEO Ludo Fourrage, offers practical programs like the 15-week AI Essentials for Work bootcamp, designed to build real-world AI competencies without prior technical background (Maryland's Office of AI Enablement, Maryland's Bold AI Vision for 2025 roadmap, AI Essentials for Work Bootcamp).

Maryland has revolutionized access to government assistance with the launch of the Maryland Benefits One Application, a mobile-friendly, integrated tool allowing residents to apply simultaneously for Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, WIC, and energy assistance programs.

This unified application, developed in partnership with Code for America and supported by the state's Departments of Information Technology, Health, and Human Services, cuts application time by more than half and eliminates the need for physical visits or repeated paperwork through its dynamic question flow and document upload features.

About 36,000 Marylanders have already benefited from its streamlined process, reflecting the state's dedicated move toward user-centered government service modernization.

Maryland's innovative approach extends beyond technology; as Governor Wes Moore emphasized, this initiative represents

"a government that is efficient, effective, and empathetic,"

offering a lifeline for vulnerable populations even as federal supports wane.

The platform's success underscores the power of cross-agency collaboration and human-centered design in utilizing AI to create real government efficiency.

Continuing this momentum, Maryland is expanding these digital solutions to enhance equitable access, improve administrative workflows with AI automation, and ultimately lift more residents into comprehensive support with less burden.

This transformative tool exemplifies how embracing AI-driven integration and mobile-first design can simplify public benefits, increase uptake, and reduce costs, setting a strong example for other state and local governments.

More details and access to the application are available through the state's official platforms, ensuring transparency and ease for all Marylanders seeking assistance via the Maryland Benefits One Application.

In March 2024, Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott issued a comprehensive executive order to guide the ethical use and development of generative artificial intelligence (AI) within city government, emphasizing transparency, security, and accountability as core principles.

This initiative aims to balance the opportunities AI presents for enhancing city services with the attendant risks, such as privacy concerns and potential misuse.

The order mandates clear disclosure when generative AI significantly contributes to city documents or decisions and prohibits the uploading of sensitive or personal information into AI platforms.

It also restricts AI technologies that mimic individuals' appearances or voices to prevent deception. A key feature is establishing an advisory committee responsible for evaluating current AI uses across city agencies, formulating policies, providing employee training, and developing risk profiles to ensure responsible AI deployment.

Todd Carter, Baltimore's CIO, highlighted the city's commitment to supporting employees in adopting AI tools responsibly. This executive order aligns with Maryland's broader cautious and structured AI governance approach, as state leaders prioritize data protection and public trust while advancing AI innovation in government.

For more details, explore the official Baltimore Mayor's Office announcement on generative AI use, coverage from local news WEEA report on Baltimore AI executive order, and insights on Maryland's cautious AI stance from the Baltimore Sun article on Maryland AI governance.

Maryland is making significant strides in AI-driven cybersecurity to enhance the security and efficiency of its local governments. The state's Cyber Maryland program, now under the Maryland Department of Labor and funded with $3 million, focuses on workforce development, creating cyber and AI clinics that provide services to small businesses and community organizations, and strengthening public-private partnerships to meet growing cyber workforce demands.

Universities like the University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) have responded by integrating AI into cybersecurity curricula to prepare a skilled workforce capable of addressing modern threats, with a 37% projected growth in cybersecurity employment over the next decade.

Local startups, such as CyDeploy and TeamWorx Security, are innovating with AI to improve threat detection, automate malware analysis, and ensure secure software updates, helping government agencies like the Department of Defense defend against evolving cyberattacks.

This coordinated approach aligns with Maryland's 2025 AI Roadmap, which emphasizes responsible AI adoption, data security, and automation to bolster public safety and infrastructure resilience.

As AI continues to reshape the cybersecurity landscape, Maryland's initiatives exemplify a proactive and ethically grounded strategy to protect its citizens and support economic growth.

Learn more about Cyber Maryland's workforce development initiatives, the Maryland 2025 AI roadmap for innovation and security, and the impact of Maryland cybersecurity startups leveraging AI technologies.

The Greenmount AI Computing Resource Lab, a pioneering collaboration between Baltimore City Recreation and Parks, NWN Carousel, Intel, and NFL star Sean Ryan, is revolutionizing digital access and STEM education for underserved youth in Baltimore's Greenmount East neighborhood.

Launched in 2024, the lab features 20 high-performance AI-powered PCs equipped with Intel® Core™ Ultra processors, enabling hands-on learning in AI concepts, coding, and prompt engineering without relying on cloud infrastructure, which addresses data privacy concerns.

This initiative also included the innovative "AI Athletics Day," where children aged 8-15 engaged in interactive workshops blending AI with athletic-themed challenges to demystify neural networks and AI's real-world applicability.

The program is designed not only to bridge the digital divide - where over 27% of local households lack internet access - but to inspire and equip the next generation of Baltimore technologists through a scalable AI PC-as-a-Service (AI PCaaS) model that ensures sustainability, continuous upgrades, and minimal IT overhead.

As Sean Ryan reflected, his personal experiences growing up with limited resources fuel his commitment to giving back and empowering the community through technology.

According to NWN, this lab represents a blueprint for future municipal AI educational efforts and demonstrates how strategic partnerships can foster equitable technology adoption in public services.

For more on this innovative project, explore the full stories at NWN's official announcement of the Greenmount AI Lab, the WBAL-TV coverage of the Ravens' partnership with NWN, and detailed insights at Intel's customer spotlight on the lab.

In Baltimore, Johns Hopkins is pioneering the automation of Medicaid processing through advanced AI technologies, enhancing both administrative efficiency and patient care.

Their initiatives include deploying AI-driven ambient scribe tools that capture clinical encounters in real time, enabling physicians to focus more on patients while ensuring accurate, efficient documentation.

Additionally, Johns Hopkins is actively developing AI solutions to summarize complex inpatient hospital data, improving handoffs and continuity of care within Medicaid services.

These efforts are part of a broader university commitment to healthcare equity, highlighted by the Artificial Intelligence for Health Equity (AIHE) series, which ensures AI applications meet the needs of underserved communities in Maryland.

Collaboration between Johns Hopkins' engineering, medicine, and data science divisions, supported by facilities like the Life Sciences Building and the Hopkins AI Lab, is fostering innovation in responsible AI adoption for public health.

Furthermore, initiatives such as the Techstars AI Health Baltimore Accelerator, powered by Johns Hopkins and CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield, are accelerating local startups focused on AI in healthcare, reinforcing Baltimore's leadership in this sector.

Together, these programs exemplify how AI is streamlining Medicaid operations, reducing costs, and setting new standards in public healthcare delivery. For more on Johns Hopkins' transformative AI advancements in medicine, visit Leading Innovation Through AI at Johns Hopkins, discover the detailed research on Using AI to Improve Medicaid Administrative Processes, and learn about the Techstars AI Health Baltimore Accelerator.

Maryland's statewide AI strategy, formalized in the 2025 AI Enablement Strategy & AI Study Roadmap submitted by the Department of Information Technology (DoIT) and the AI Subcabinet, outlines a comprehensive and responsible approach to accelerating AI adoption across the state while emphasizing ethical use and efficiency.

The roadmap focuses on five key areas: maturing AI governance with sector-specific frameworks adhering to the state's six guiding principles; strengthening data foundations to ensure trustworthy generative AI outputs; scaling AI experimentation to enhance public services; expanding workforce training through partnerships with academia and industry; and coordinating AI efforts across twelve critical domains, including economic development, healthcare, education, and public safety.

Governor Wes Moore's 2024 executive order laid the groundwork by establishing governance “guard rails” and a dedicated AI sub-cabinet, reinforcing Maryland's commitment to modernization and inclusive access.

Leaders like Katie Savage, DoIT Secretary, highlight the roadmap's intent to “accelerate the pace of AI adoption while considering the unique assets, opportunities, and risks present in Maryland,” aiming to boost competitiveness and productivity.

This strategy is augmented by robust policies such as the University of Maryland Baltimore's AI Governance Policy, which stipulates principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability in AI deployment.

Additionally, innovative solutions by technology partners like vTech Solution support Maryland's digital transformation through secure AI governance, workforce development, and AI-powered public safety applications.

While modernization comes with significant investment - potentially amounting to billions over the next decade - the unified effort seeks to ensure ethical, efficient, and equitable AI integration that benefits all Marylanders.

For a deeper dive into this transformative initiative, readers can explore the Maryland AI Study Roadmap, learn how vTech Solution partners in AI governance and innovation, and review the University of Maryland Baltimore's AI Governance Policy that exemplifies ethical AI use principles in practice.

Maryland is actively modernizing its government operations to cut costs and improve efficiency amid a significant budget crisis. Governor Wes Moore's administration has launched a comprehensive government modernization initiative aimed at saving $50 million during the current fiscal year, as part of a $2 billion spending reduction plan to address the state's nearly $3 billion deficit.

This initiative includes measures such as optimizing fleet management to reduce underutilized state vehicle costs, consolidating IT systems, and improving real estate management.

These efforts are coordinated through an executive order mandating state agencies to collaborate with the Governor's Office of Performance Improvement to analyze operational data, eliminate redundancies, and streamline permitting and licensing processes across Maryland.

Notably, six pilot programs have been introduced to specifically improve permitting efficiency for infrastructure projects. While the initiative has faced scrutiny for slow tangible results, officials emphasize a data-driven, performance-oriented approach with the goal of enhancing fiscal sustainability and delivering high returns on taxpayer investments.

Governor Moore envisions these measures not only as necessary responses to fiscal challenges but also as models for efficient government practices nationwide, aligning with broader state strategies focusing on technology modernization and interagency coordination.

Maryland's permitting pilot programs and Governor Moore's executive order on government modernization provide detailed insights into these efforts, while Moore's efficiency plan compared to federal proposals highlights the state's leadership role in government efficiency innovation.

The future of AI in Baltimore and Maryland public services is poised for transformative impact, driven by advances in urban planning, public safety, and data science research.

Experts envision AI assisting urban planners in reviewing development proposals, zoning changes, and optimizing city master plans to accommodate a growing urban population projected to reach 70% by 2050, as discussed in the Johns Hopkins commentary on AI and future cities.

Practical applications include Baltimore's Department of Housing & Community Development deploying an AI tool to detect collapsed rooftops, enhancing emergency response and building safety, a project recognized by the Maryland Association of Counties in their MACO Innovation Award announcement.

Moreover, Johns Hopkins University's upcoming Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Institute, expected to open in 2029, highlights a $22 million state investment to foster innovation, research, and entrepreneurship in AI technology right in Baltimore, as detailed in the JHU DSAI building project details.

These efforts underscore the symbiotic relationship between AI technology and human expertise, emphasizing ethical considerations and equitable outcomes. For individuals inspired to contribute to this evolving ecosystem, Nucamp Bootcamp offers pathways such as the 15-week AI Essentials for Work bootcamp, designed to equip learners with practical AI skills applicable across government and business sectors, fostering a workforce ready to leverage AI responsibly and effectively in Maryland's public services.