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

Richmond has quietly become a pivotal testing ground for government AI in 2025 because local champions are aligning workforce, policy, and practice: a February webinar showcased how AI Ready RVA and RVATech are building an AI-literate pipeline and even planning a state‑of‑the‑art incubator and education hub (RVA 757 Connects February 2025 webinar recap), while Virginia's regulatory modernization efforts are explicitly reshaping permitting and AI oversight to make safe adoption feasible for municipal services (Virginia Office of Regulatory Management achievements and regulatory modernization).

That mix - hands‑on upskilling, community labs, and clearer rules - gives Richmond governments a rare “ready-to-deploy” advantage for practical AI uses like predictive maintenance, customer service automation, and ethical surveillance limits, and makes short, practical courses an immediate step for leaders who need to move from pilot to production without getting stuck on policy uncertainty.

Bootcamp	Length	Cost (early bird)	Registration
AI Essentials for Work	15 Weeks	$3,582	Register for AI Essentials for Work (15-week AI bootcamp)

Executive Order 51 has changed the policy landscape Richmond leaders must navigate in 2025 by launching a first‑in‑the‑nation, agentic AI pilot to scan thousands of pages of state regulations and guidance to identify redundancies, contradictions, and overly complex language - a move that builds on Virginia's earlier regulatory modernization wins and a 25% reduction target that the administration has already exceeded and now hopes to push toward 35% (some reforms even pared stormwater regulations from 23 inches of printed materials to 5 inches).

The order (see the Governor's press release on Executive Order 51) and the Youngkin administration's rollout (covered in detail by Virginia Mercury) signal a pragmatic, results‑oriented approach: speed up reviews, flag statutory conflicts, and empower agencies to use AI as a review tool while maintaining human judgment.

State lawmakers are simultaneously debating guardrails for consumer‑facing bots and chatbot safety, underscoring the need for disclosure, human‑in‑the‑loop oversight, and targeted safeguards for vulnerable users; federal pilots and models testing AI for health‑care prior authorization add pressure for consistent standards across levels of government, so Richmond agencies should pair any local automations with clear oversight, transparency, and staff training.

“We have made tremendous strides towards streamlining regulations and the regulatory process in the Commonwealth. Using emergent artificial intelligence tools, we will push this effort further in order to continue our mission of unleashing Virginia's economy in a way that benefits all of its citizens.”

Richmond officials getting up to speed should treat 2025 as a year when federal push and state patchworks collide: the White House's AI Action Plan and a trio of executive orders (covering infrastructure, exports, and a controversial Covington LLP summary of July 2025 federal AI actions) create near‑term procurement and compliance requirements - Executive Order 14319 even directs OMB to issue guidance within 120 days (by Nov.

20, 2025) and could force contract clauses that impose special obligations on vendors who don't meet the new principles - so procurement teams and legal counsel need to preview contract language now.

“Unbiased AI”

At the same time, state legislatures are racing ahead: every state introduced AI bills in 2025 and dozens enacted measures covering inventories, impact assessments, transparency, and limits on certain uses - so Richmond's local rules should mirror best practices while remaining nimble (NCSL 2025 state AI legislation tracker).

“decommissioning costs”

Practically, start with three items: 1) publish an internal AI inventory and risk tiering aligned to NIST and federal guidance, 2) bake human‑in‑the‑loop, audit and disclosure requirements into procurements, and 3) build an IPT‑style governance path and training plan so that pilots become accountable production systems - GSA's AI Guide for Government offers a clear roadmap for organizing teams, governance, and lifecycle controls that local leaders can adopt (GSA AI Guide for Government - roadmap for governance and lifecycle controls).

The “so what?”: vendors, funding, and federal guidance are changing fast - planning procurement language and an AI inventory now prevents disruptive rework when OMB and state rules land.

“so what?”

Expect 2025 to be a year of rapid, practical deployment for Richmond government as Virginia moves from experiments to operational AI: Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 51 launches a first‑of‑its‑kind agentic AI regulatory review that will actively scan and streamline state rules (Virginia Executive Order 51 announcement), and that push is likely to cascade into city operations where permitting, compliance checks, and customer‑facing automation are the clearest near‑term gains; at the same time, state attorneys general are sharpening enforcement tools under existing privacy and consumer‑protection laws - with special attention to how systems use personal identifying information and how deepfakes or biased decisioning could enable fraud or discrimination (State Attorneys General analysis of AI risks) - while federal moves in the AI Action Plan are accelerating infrastructure and procurement shifts (including faster data‑center permitting and new procurement expectations) that will change vendor conversations and budgeting (federal AI Action Plan infrastructure and procurement guidance).

The takeaway for Richmond leaders: pair any rush to streamline with human‑in‑the‑loop oversight, updated contract language, clear impact assessments, and targeted staff training - Virginia has already cut 26.8% of regulatory requirements and eliminated 47.9% of words from guidance, so the agentic pilot is poised to harvest the next wave of practical efficiencies.

Metric	Value
Regulatory requirements streamlined	26.8%
Words eliminated from guidance documents	47.9%
Original reduction goal	25%

“We have made tremendous strides towards streamlining regulations and the regulatory process in the Commonwealth. Using emergent artificial intelligence tools, we will push this effort further in order to continue our mission of unleashing Virginia's economy in a way that benefits all of its citizens.”

The High‑Risk Artificial Intelligence Developer and Deployer Act (HB 2094) that Virginia's General Assembly approved in February 2025 would, if signed, create a tightly focused compliance regime for businesses that develop or deploy “high‑risk” AI systems in the Commonwealth: systems that autonomously make, or serve as the principal basis for, consequential decisions affecting consumers (parole or probation, education, access to employment, lending and financial services, health care, housing, insurance, marital status, or legal services).

Under the bill developers must document intended uses, limitations, testing and mitigation steps and furnish deployers with the materials needed to complete impact assessments, while deployers must run pre‑deployment AI impact assessments, adopt a risk‑management program (NIST AI RMF or ISO/IEC 42001 provide a safe harbor), make clear consumer disclosures, and keep records for the life of a deployment plus three years; failure to comply can trigger Attorney General enforcement with penalties up to $1,000 per violation (and up to $10,000 for willful violations) and a 45‑day cure window that can mean rapid, accumulating liability for repeat harms.

Richmond agencies should treat the bill as a playbook for procurement and governance - start mapping systems, documenting data flows, and lining up NIST‑aligned controls now - while tracking the bill's status and background on the official HB 2094 text and legal summaries (see the Virginia bill text and a detailed Mayer Brown overview).

Note: Governor Youngkin vetoed HB 2094 on March 24, 2025, so the law's future remains unsettled as state and national debates continue.

Getting started with AI in Richmond in 2025 is a stepwise, practical process: first, ground decisions in policy - review the Virginia Information Technologies Agency AI standard and the City of Richmond Administrative Regulations to understand acceptable, ethical use and supplier expectations (review the Virginia IT Agency artificial intelligence standard at Virginia Information Technologies Agency AI standard, and consult the Richmond Administrative Regulations AI Policy at Richmond Administrative Regulations AI Policy); next, close the skills gap by enrolling staff in the VirginiaHasJobs AI Career Launch Pad (learn more about the VirginiaHasJobs AI Career Launch Pad) so teams have a common, practical vocabulary.

Build capacity affordably by pairing pilots with local talent - bring on an AI Ready RVA 10‑week paid intern (real-world data analysis at $20/hour) to help inventory systems and prepare impact documentation, then run a small, human‑in‑the‑loop pilot that mirrors Virginia's agentic AI regulatory review goals so automation targets narrow, measurable tasks rather than sweeping change.

Finally, use statewide forums like the Government Innovation Showcase to test governance patterns, collect peer procurement language, and recruit partners; the aim is a repeatable cycle: policy check → targeted training → short paid pilots → governance and procurement updates, so Richmond avoids disruptive rework when statewide or federal rules land.

Program / Event	Key detail
AI Ready RVA Internship	10 weeks; $20/hour; data analyst support
Government Innovation Showcase Virginia	Apr 9, 2025 - Richmond Marriott Downtown

“The presentation reminded us … that we always, always, always keep humans in the loop.” - Del. Cliff Hayes

Richmond's practical AI playbook in 2025 centers on three tightly linked use‑cases: agentic systems that can “scan thousands of pages” of rules to speed regulatory review (the Youngkin administration's Executive Order 51 launches a first‑of‑its‑kind agentic AI pilot to flag contradictions, redundancies, and suggest streamlined language), predictive analytics that triage field inspections and cut repeat visits, and customer‑facing automation that improves service while preserving transparency and human oversight - think a dispatcher that routes requests to staff only when an AI flags a probable exception.

These applications promise real operational wins (Virginia agencies have already streamlined 26.8% of regulatory requirements and eliminated 47.9% of guidance text) but they also demand guardrails: agentic AI is brittle and can amplify hidden bias or “scheming,” so teams should sandbox agents, harden prompts, implement strict RBAC and logging, and keep human‑in‑the‑loop checkpoints for high‑risk decisions (see the state announcement on Executive Order 51 and practical mitigation strategies for regulated deployments).

For Richmond leaders the takeaway is simple and vivid: an agentic pilot can move from proof‑of‑concept to production only when paired with auditable controls - otherwise efficiency gains can turn into legal and privacy headaches almost overnight.

Metric	Value
Regulatory requirements streamlined	26.8%
Words eliminated from guidance	47.9%

“AI has swept across the nation and our Commonwealth, energizing industries, empowering citizens, and rapidly advancing our way of life in unforeseen ways. Using emergent artificial intelligence tools, we will push this effort further in order to continue our mission of unleashing Virginia's economy in a way that benefits all of its citizens.”

Richmond's training ecosystem now centers on Virginia Commonwealth University as a practical bridge from policy to practice: the VCU AI Guidebook - comprehensive catalog of AI courses and specialist tracks catalogs everything from introductory general‑education AI courses to specialist tracks and hands‑on programs, while VCU's Data Science & AI Bootcamp - 12–24 week practical training with industry certification and job-placement support offers a 12–24 week pathway with practical training, industry certification and job‑placement support that's ideal for municipal staff aiming to run accountable pilots.

For shorter, role‑focused upskilling, VCU Continuing and Professional Education runs courses like “Navigating AI: Ethical Considerations for the Modern Workplace,” plus digital badges and CEUs that fit working schedules; and campus licenses for tools such as Microsoft Co‑Pilot, Adobe's AI suite, and integrated Google/Zoom AI features mean teams can practice with the same toolset they'll use on the job - see the VCU Learning Experience Design Studio - campus AI tools and instructional design resources.

The net effect for Richmond is concrete: affordable bootcamps and modular CPE courses to fill immediate skills gaps, campus‑licensed AI tools for hands‑on learning, and credentialing (badges/certificates) that makes it easier to justify training budgets - picture a planner drafting an impact assessment with Co‑Pilot in one afternoon rather than waiting weeks for outside help.

Program / Resource	Key detail
Data Science & AI Bootcamp	12–24 weeks; practical training, industry certification, job placement support
VCU CPE AI Courses	Noncredit/credit options, CEUs, digital badges, courses like “Navigating AI: Ethical Considerations”
Campus AI Tools	Microsoft Co‑Pilot licensed for all faculty/staff/students; Adobe, Zoom AI, Google Workspace integrations

“We're committed to AI for the public good and part of that commitment is trying to move faster than higher education is typically used to moving. Instead of taking 18 months to develop and implement the course, we're doing things in a matter of weeks.”

Richmond's GovCon circuit is the fastest route from a municipal AI pilot to real contracts and partnerships: the Virginia Black Chamber's GovCon 2025 at the Richmond Marriott (June 6, 2025) packed panels on procurement, SWaM certifications, cybersecurity, teaming strategies, and even a mainstage roundtable on upcoming airport, energy, and construction opportunities - plus built‑in networking at breakfast, panels, and a plated luncheon where procurement leads, prime contractors, and local agency buyers trade contact cards and scope briefs; the conference agenda and speaker lineup make it a practical place to test procurement language, recruit local primes, and find partners to scale systems like AI‑powered field inspection tools that cut repeat visits and speed compliance reviews (GovCon 2025 Richmond conference agenda and networking details).

For Richmond leaders focused on buying or selling AI, use breakout workshops and the fireside chats to refine RFP requirements (cyber and data handling are recurring themes), pursue teaming opportunities with larger primes, and capture contracting leads discussed in the business round table - think of the plated luncheon as a place where a short, clear procurement ask can turn into a teaming MOU by month's end.

Member discounts and targeted workshops also make GovCon a cost‑effective place to build GovCon relationships and sharpen bid readiness for municipal AI procurements (GovCon 2025 member registration and ticket information).

Item	Detail
Date	June 6, 2025
Location	Richmond Marriott, 500 E Broad St, Richmond, VA
Member discount	$123.35 (member rate noted)
Registration	Registration Closed (member portal noted)

Richmond leaders ready to turn pilots into dependable services should follow a tight, practical checklist: first, align local policies and deployments with Virginia's responsible AI guidance (see the Virginia Office of Regulatory Management AI guidance) and use Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 51 - with its agentic pilot that can “scan all regulations and guidance documents” and flag redundancies - as a playbook for scoped, auditable automation; second, publish an internal AI inventory and tier systems by risk so procurement and legal teams can thread human‑in‑the‑loop, audit logging, and retention requirements into RFPs before vendor contracts are signed; third, staff the work with trained people by enrolling program leads in a short, role‑focused course such as the AI Essentials for Work bootcamp to build prompt‑writing and oversight skills quickly; fourth, start one small, measurable pilot (permit review, field‑inspection triage, or a cost‑estimation model inspired by VDOT pilots) that has built‑in refusal logic, RBAC, and an impact assessment; and finally, treat enforcement gaps - especially for law‑enforcement uses - as a trigger to freeze high‑risk rollouts until clear approvals exist.

The “so what?”: a narrow, governed pilot that saves one week of processing time or one avoided repeat inspection proves ROI fast while keeping the city on the right side of emerging state and federal rules.

Action	Immediate step
Policy alignment	Review ORM AI guidelines (Virginia Office of Regulatory Management AI guidance)
Staff training	Enroll program leads in AI Essentials for Work (15 weeks; early bird $3,582) - Register for the Nucamp AI Essentials for Work bootcamp
Pilot & governance	Run a human-in-the-loop agentic pilot modeled on EO51 goals (Governor Youngkin Executive Order 51)

“We have made tremendous strides towards streamlining regulations and the regulatory process in the Commonwealth. Using emergent artificial intelligence tools, we will push this effort further in order to continue our mission of unleashing Virginia's economy in a way that benefits all of its citizens.”