The Complete Guide to Using AI in the Government Industry in Indianapolis in 2025

Indianapolis government leaders are pairing clear state rules with hands-on training to make AI practical and safe for Hoosiers: the State of Indiana's Indiana AI Policy and Guidance requires agencies to complete an AI Readiness Assessment and secure policy exceptions before deploying tools, while the City–County's free Indianapolis–Marion County AI training program builds employee skills (and is required to qualify for an M365 Copilot license); the combination matters because early state pilots - like Indiana's workforce tool - already surface measurable gains (one analysis found the AI-assisted top job match paid nearly $4/hour more than a self-directed search), showing that governed adoption can improve outcomes without sacrificing privacy or oversight.

Attribute	Information
Bootcamp	AI Essentials for Work
Description	Gain practical AI skills for any workplace; learn AI tools, prompt writing, and apply AI across business functions; no technical background required.
Length	15 Weeks
Courses included	AI at Work: Foundations; Writing AI Prompts; Job Based Practical AI Skills
Cost	$3,582 early bird; $3,942 after (18 monthly payments)
Syllabus	AI Essentials for Work syllabus - Nucamp
Register	Register for AI Essentials for Work - Nucamp

"This partnership with InnovateUS establishes a strong foundation for our AI journey, equipping City-County employees with critical knowledge about AI, its potential, challenges, and ethical considerations. Beyond training, we're laying the groundwork for thoughtful AI integration in local government that prioritizes data protection, security, and responsible implementation to serve our community better."

Understanding AI basics starts with clear, local rules and practical training: the State of Indiana defines an AI system (per the NIST-based guidance) as any machine-based system that produces predictions, recommendations, or decisions and requires agencies to submit an AI Readiness Assessment before procurement or use, with exceptions granted by the Chief Privacy Officer after MPH review; agencies must also provide a “just‑in‑time” notice when AI is used and follow annual or change-triggered reviews.

At the City–County level, the Marion County ISA and City of Indianapolis partnered with InnovateUS GenAI training partnership for Indianapolis and Marion County public employees for no‑cost GenAI training for public employees (recommended for all staff and required - along with an internal data classification course - to qualify for an M365 Copilot license), tying workforce readiness to policy compliance.

These two pillars - state risk assessments and practical, role-based training - make it straightforward for Indianapolis teams to spot whether a tool is “AI,” who must sign off, and what documentation (contracts, data flows) must accompany any implementation, so projects move from idea to approved deployment without regulatory surprises; for agency questions or submissions, contact MPH Responsible Data contact email: ResponsibleData@mph.in.gov or review the State of Indiana AI Policy and Guidance (MPH).

Topic	Key point
What counts as AI	Engineered system producing predictions, recommendations, or decisions (per NIST-aligned state definition)
Pre-deployment requirement	Submit AI Readiness Assessment; receive AI Policy Exception from CPO/MPH before use
Local training	InnovateUS no-cost GenAI training for City–County employees; required for M365 Copilot license
Privacy notice	“Just‑in‑time” notice required at point of interaction when AI is used
Contact	MPH Responsible Data contact email: ResponsibleData@mph.in.gov

"This partnership with InnovateUS establishes a strong foundation for our AI journey, equipping City-County employees with critical knowledge about AI, its potential, challenges, and ethical considerations. Beyond training, we're laying the groundwork for thoughtful AI integration in local government that prioritizes data protection, security, and responsible implementation to serve our community better."

Legal and ethical guardrails for Indianapolis AI projects begin with longstanding civil‑rights law: the Americans with Disabilities Act requires state and local governments (Title II) and businesses open to the public (Title III) to provide program access and non‑discriminatory services, and DOJ and DOT issue the technical ADA Standards that inform design and procurement; agencies should therefore treat web and app features as covered services and bake accessibility into contracts, testing, and incident response.

Federal guidance makes enforcement real - DOJ's web‑accessibility guidance explains why inaccessible sites block access to voting, benefits, and emergency information, and enforcement actions (from Project Civic Access settlements to high‑profile litigation like Domino's) show that remediation can be costly and reputationally damaging - so require vendors to meet proven accessibility checks such as alt text, captions, keyboard navigation, and error reporting.

Recent federal updates also matter locally: a 2024 DOJ rule identifies WCAG 2.1 AA as the benchmark for state and local government web compliance, so Indianapolis teams should set WCAG 2.1 AA as an acceptance criterion in RFPs, include accessibility tests in AI model audits, and document “effective communication” decisions to reduce legal risk and improve service equity (see DOJ web guidance and Access Board technical resources for checklists and training).

Legal source	Practical implication for Indianapolis
ADA (Titles II & III)	Treat digital services and AI‑enabled public programs as covered; ensure program access and nondiscrimination
DOJ web guidance	Design for screen readers, captions, keyboard nav; provide reporting and remediation paths
2024 DOJ rule (per ADA compliance analysis)	Adopt WCAG 2.1 AA as baseline in procurement, testing, and acceptance criteria

Indianapolis agencies must pair clear processes with practical controls so data-driven AI improves services without creating new privacy harms: the state's Indiana Management Performance Hub (MPH) - codified as the nation's first standalone state data agency - builds an enterprise data catalog, names agency privacy officers, and requires high‑risk AI projects to pass a pre‑deployment assessment aligned with the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, ensuring models are tested for bias, IP, and cybersecurity before use (Indiana Management Performance Hub profile - Indiana Capital Chronicle).

Practical steps used across Indiana include formal data‑sharing agreements and phased governance rollouts that start with urgent needs to build trust; MPH's secure Enhanced Research Environment even hosted more than 100 users across 20 organizations to power COVID dashboards and safe researcher access (MPH Enhanced Research Environment case study - Beeck Center).

Local agency examples - like the Department of Workforce Development's phased governance and strict access controls - show how role‑based privacy practices and data agreements make operational AI deployments auditable and defensible (Indiana Department of Workforce Development governance case - Resultant podcast); the so‑what: with enterprise cataloging, named privacy officers, and NIST‑based reviews, Indianapolis teams can reduce procurement friction and cut weeks off safe, compliant AI rollouts.

Governance practice	Why it matters
Enterprise data catalog	Improves discoverability, quality, and reuse of trusted datasets
Agency privacy officers	Provides local oversight, faster approvals, and accountable data sharing
NIST‑aligned pre‑deployment assessments	Detects high‑risk issues (privacy, bias, cybersecurity) before deployment

“Data is a team sport.” - Ted Cotterill, MPH Chief Privacy Officer

Accessibility must be a non‑negotiable part of Indianapolis AI projects: federal and state guidance treat web and app features as government services, so AI‑driven interfaces need alt text, accurate captions, clear form labels and error messaging, keyboard navigation, and built‑in headings for screen readers to avoid excluding users from voting, benefits, or emergency updates (DOJ web accessibility guidance for web and apps).

Indiana law and state policy also push digital resources toward Section 508 and WCAG testing, so require procurement, contracts, and vendor SLAs to specify WCAG conformance and manual testing with people with disabilities (see Indiana's accessibility pledge at IN.gov digital accessibility policy and pledge).

Practically, set WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the acceptance criterion, include accessibility checks in AI model audits, and publish an easy reporting route for accessibility issues; doing so reduces legal and service‑delivery risk and aligns with the federal timeline that ties government compliance to clear dates and standards (DOJ Small Entity Compliance Guide for accessibility compliance).

The so‑what: meeting these standards up front shortens procurement cycles and prevents expensive remediation later - especially important with DOJ enforcement precedent and state expectations looming.

Requirement	Detail
Technical standard	WCAG 2.1, Level AA (baseline for web & mobile)
State policy	Indiana requires Section 508‑aligned standards and an accessibility pledge (IN.gov)
Key compliance dates	Large governments: April 24, 2026; Smaller entities: April 26, 2027 (per DOJ guidance)

Indianapolis agencies can translate policy into impact by prioritizing three practical AI uses: automate security workflows - like incident response, patching, and identity lifecycle - to cut manual toil and, per local SMB guidance, reduce IT function costs (15–40%) and shorten response times from hours to minutes (IT and cybersecurity automation for Indianapolis SMBs); combine AI with robotic process automation (RPA) and natural language processing to triage citizen requests and route complaints automatically, reducing ticket times and freeing staff for complex cases (AI and RPA for customer service automation); and deploy targeted analytics such as public health anomaly detection to provide Marion County early warnings and enable faster, focused interventions (public health anomaly detection for Marion County government).

Together, these use cases cut operating cost, accelerate service delivery, and create measurable, auditable steps for safe, governed AI adoption in Indianapolis government.

When building or procuring AI tools in Indianapolis, start by scoping a narrow, high‑value use case and run it through the Indiana AI Readiness Assessment so the project enters procurement already classified for risk and oversight; then use a clear buy vs.

build rubric - time, cost, and in‑house expertise are decisive factors (one vendor study showed third‑party solutions cost about $8 per customer resolution versus $12 for an in‑house build) - to choose the faster, lower‑risk path to production (Build vs. Buy AI: 10 factors for procurement decisions).

Require vendors to sign contract clauses that map data flows to MPH inventories, commit to WCAG accessibility testing, and accept post‑deployment monitoring and bias audits as described in state and national guidance; where federal compatibility or scale matters, prefer vetted suppliers on the GSA schedule to shorten acquisition friction and tap existing compliance controls (GSA adds leading AI solutions to the Multiple Award Schedule to support government AI adoption).

Finally, align procurement language with model inventories and impact assessments recommended by state and national bodies so pilots move to approved deployments without costly rework (NCSL guide to federal and state AI procurement and governance); the so‑what: disciplined scoping plus standardized contracts can shave weeks from procurement timelines and cut legal and accessibility risk before launch.

Step	What to check
Scope	Targeted use case, measurable outcome, risk classification
Buy vs. Build	Time, cost (vendor $8 vs. build $12 per resolution), expertise, scalability
Contracts	Data inventories, accessibility (WCAG), monitoring, bias audits
Vendor selection	Prefer vetted GSA/MAS suppliers or vendors with public‑sector experience

"America's global leadership in AI is paramount, and the Trump Administration is committed to advancing it. By making these cutting-edge AI solutions available to federal agencies, we're leveraging the private sector's innovation to transform every facet of government operations."

Indianapolis agencies should treat upskilling as infrastructure: combine InnovateUS's free, self‑paced GenAI courses - like “Responsible AI for Public Professionals” and short videos with worksheets and prompt workshops - to give frontline staff practical, role‑based skills, with earn‑while‑you‑learn pipelines (Indiana's SEAL program and NextLevel partnerships) supplying diverse talent already being trained on the job; Indiana's apprenticeship effort currently lists roughly 900 registered sponsors and about 25,000 apprentices statewide, a scalable pool for AI‑adjacent roles that can cut hiring friction and make compliance‑focused rollouts faster and cheaper (InnovateUS GenAI courses for public sector professionals, Indiana DWD apprenticeships for the AI era overview, SEAL State Earn-and-Learn program coverage and outcomes).

Pair short practical modules for every role (policy, procurement, frontline staff) with paid apprenticeships or internal “learn‑and‑do” rotations to ensure skills map to approved uses - so what: agencies that combine free public‑sector AI curricula with paid on‑the‑job training shorten time to compliant deployment and create internal auditors who both use and govern AI tools.

Program	Key fact
InnovateUS GenAI courses	Free, self‑paced; workshops, videos, worksheets for public servants
Indiana apprenticeships	~900 sponsors; ~25,000 apprentices (statewide scale for talent pipelines)
SEAL (State Earn And Learn)	Pays trainees on the job; early cohorts: 47 hired, 9 graduated into state IT roles

“Our approach is about equipping employers and communities with the support they need to innovate and thrive. AI is a game-changer because of the tremendous value it offers.” - Jason Graves, Indiana DWD

Risk management for Indianapolis AI deployments centers on disciplined, documented steps that the State of Indiana already requires: submit an AI Readiness Assessment to the Management Performance Hub before procurement or use, classify the system's risk (low/moderate/high) under the NIST‑aligned framework, and obtain an AI Policy Exception from the Chief Privacy Officer - otherwise the Office of Technology will block Software Authorization requests (so start the process early to avoid procurement delays).

Testing should include documented data flows, executed contracts or Data Sharing Agreements, bias and accessibility checks tied to WCAG standards, and technical validation of outputs; the MPH review triages low/moderate cases for faster exception grants while high‑risk systems receive full review.

Post‑deployment monitoring is mandatory: submit follow‑up assessments annually or after substantial changes, run periodic bias and security audits, and deliver “just‑in‑time” notices at points of interaction.

For practical guidance and sector best practices, consult the State of Indiana AI Policy and Guidance and evidence‑based resources on public‑sector risk management from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); for submissions or questions, contact MPH ResponsibleData at ResponsibleData@mph.in.gov.

Phase	Action	Frequency
Pre‑deployment	Submit AI Readiness Assessment; include contracts, data flows	Before procurement/use
Approval	MPH review; risk classification (Low/Moderate/High) → Policy Exception	Initial review; high‑risk full review
Post‑deployment	Bias/accessibility/security audits; “just‑in‑time” notices; follow‑up assessment	Annually or after substantial changes

“We worked with DWD and their vendor to train a model on workforce data and education data, and then separated the model from the underlying data and handed the model itself to the DWD for use in its app.”

Indianapolis is positioned to move from policy to practice: start by enrolling staff in the City–County's free GenAI training with InnovateUS GenAI training for Indianapolis and Marion County, complete the State of Indiana's State of Indiana AI Policy Readiness Assessment (required before procurement and to obtain an AI Policy Exception), and pair that compliance work with role‑based skill building such as Nucamp's Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp so teams can write safe prompts, run audits, and document “just‑in‑time” notices in production.

That sequence - training, readiness assessment, then tightly scoped pilots that meet WCAG accessibility and MPH/NIST risk checks - lets agencies qualify for tools like M365 Copilot, shorten procurement friction, and get measurable wins without sacrificing privacy or oversight; for immediate help, contact MPH at ResponsibleData@mph.in.gov to begin your Readiness submission and pair it with workforce training to accelerate a compliant rollout.

Attribute	Information
Bootcamp	AI Essentials for Work
Length	15 Weeks
Courses included	AI at Work: Foundations; Writing AI Prompts; Job Based Practical AI Skills
Cost	$3,582 early bird; $3,942 after (18 monthly payments)
Syllabus / Register	AI Essentials for Work syllabus - Nucamp

"This partnership with InnovateUS establishes a strong foundation for our AI journey, equipping City-County employees with critical knowledge about AI, its potential, challenges, and ethical considerations. Beyond training, we're laying the groundwork for thoughtful AI integration in local government that prioritizes data protection, security, and responsible implementation to serve our community better."