Maryland has secured over $2.6 million in philanthropic grant funding to develop artificial intelligence tools aimed at improving access to public benefits, including food assistance, Medicaid, and unemployment services, according to Governor Wes Moore. The state received two of seven national awards from the Public Benefit Innovation Fund, a program established by the Center for Civic Futures, a nonprofit supporting government initiatives that utilize emerging technologies to enhance public services. The fund received more than 400 applications from 45 states, highlighting the competitive nature of this initiative.
The funding will be distributed over a two-year period to support projects led by the Maryland Department of Human Services and the Maryland Department of Labor, in partnership with other state agencies and research institutions, as detailed in a news release from Moore’s office. Governor Moore emphasized that this funding is part of a broader strategy to modernize government services while ensuring responsible use of artificial intelligence.
“Artificial intelligence can be a powerful tool for change,” Moore stated, asserting that the administration’s goal is to utilize AI “responsibly” to eliminate barriers to essential services such as nutrition, housing, and health care. He added, “These awards recognize our state’s work to leverage the potential of technology and our commitment to leaving no one behind.”
One of the grants, amounting to $1.2 million, will fund a multistate initiative spearheaded by the Maryland Department of Human Services and other partners, aimed at enhancing verification processes for work requirements and streamlining access to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. This project will be anchored through the American Public Human Services Association, a national network of local human services agency leaders. The tools developed will be open-source, enabling other states to tailor the software to fit their public benefits programs. This initiative will be in collaboration with Nava PBC, a company specializing in digital service design for government.
State officials anticipate the project’s significance will be magnified by new federal work requirements introduced in President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed earlier this year, which is expected to affect around 80,000 Marylanders receiving SNAP benefits, along with approximately 300,000 Medicaid enrollees. Patrick Mulford, chief of staff in the Office of the Secretary at the Maryland Department of Information Technology, clarified to The Baltimore Sun that “all final decisions regarding benefits will be made exclusively by agency staff, never by AI tools.”
The second grant, totaling $1.45 million, will support the Maryland Department of Labor in collaboration with the Government Performance Lab and the Computational Policy Lab at Harvard University. This initiative will test AI tools designed to refine service delivery, including the development of training simulators for staff and AI systems to assist caseworkers in navigating complex regulations and completing paperwork efficiently.
Mulford indicated that the state plans to monitor the timeline for customers submitting work verification information, aiming to evaluate efficiency and gather community feedback throughout the pilot programs. The use of agile development practices will support a responsive approach to deployment, testing, and refinement during the grant periods.
As Maryland positions itself as a leader in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing, the state has committed to ensuring that the development of any AI systems aligns with the Maryland Responsible AI Policy, which emphasizes data security, privacy, and ethical considerations. Mulford noted, “The AI tools are being created on the state’s secure, private technology platform, not through a commercial company. This ensures that no private customer information will be used to train the AI for commercial purposes.”
Despite the advancements, some lawmakers, including State Senator Katie Fry Hester, have expressed skepticism regarding the implications of AI in workforce applications. Hester raised concerns about potential discrimination in job applicant screening if employers rely on AI tools, a topic that may resurface in the upcoming legislative session.
Baltimore City Delegate Caylin Young commended the governor’s efforts, stating, “I’m glad to see that Maryland is positioned to lead real implementation of AI on real use cases that’ll improve outcomes for our residents.” As Maryland embarks on this ambitious initiative, the balance between leveraging technology for public good and safeguarding citizen rights remains a pivotal concern.
For more information on the initiatives, visit the Maryland Governor’s Office and the Center for Civic Futures.
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