Maryland Launches Innovation Lab for Artificial Intelligence

States are racing to gain an edge in AI, and the latest example comes from Maryland, which has launched an AI Innovation Lab.The lab will provide state agencies with what a statement called “tools, infrastructure and expert consultation necessary to upscale AI adoption and experimentation.”The lab will offer agencies access to a “controlled sandbox environment” where secure testing and other features will encourage the rapid creation of prototype AI tools, according to the statement.

Lab employees will offer training to agencies and testing services, and help with making sure desirable AI products can grow.The AI Innovation Lab also will support such state efforts as its partnership with AI firm Anthropic — a project meant to improve service delivery — and AI-backed work to modernize Maryland government.In the statement, the state touted its use of an AI agent that matches fleet drivers with approved automotive vendors as an example of recent innovation. That agent could save Maryland up to $1.5 million annually.

State employees with AI expertise will work for the lab, with Pat McLoughlin, executive director of the Maryland Benefits Platform, in charge of those workers.By “anchoring” the lab within that platform, AI development will have the support of “well-managed, well-architected systems that enable reliable and scalable innovation,” according to the statement.The move in Maryland comes as another state known for its relatively aggressive AI moves works with a startup to build AI guardrails. Georgia tech leaders recently said they would use tech from Darwin to create a single place from which to manage AI policy.Maryland doesn’t intend to be left behind on AI development.“Maryland is leveraging AI to make our government faster, smarter and more efficient — from tackling complex challenges like child poverty and housing access to saving taxpayers millions through smarter fleet management,” said Gov. Wes Moore in the statement. “By launching the AI Innovation Lab, we are not just leading the nation in the responsible deployment of artificial intelligence, we are delivering revolutionary results directly to Marylanders.”