Report: Nearly All States Have Piloted AI but Value Is Unclear - govtech.com

Code for America released its 2026 Government AI Landscape Assessment, reporting that nearly all U.S. states have launched artificial intelligence pilots. The assessment found that despite widespread experimentation, very few states have established formal evaluation mechanisms to measure the public value of these AI deployments.

According to the report, states have made progress through executive orders, legislation, task forces, and partnerships with external organizations. However, the report notes that the value of these pilot programs remains unclear due to the lack of systematic evaluation. No specific numbers of states with evaluations were given, but 'very few' was used.

The assessment underscores a gap between the rapid adoption of AI technologies by state governments and the ability to assess their effectiveness. Code for America suggests that without evaluation mechanisms, states cannot determine whether these investments are improving public services. The report implies a need for more rigorous assessment frameworks to ensure taxpayer-funded AI projects deliver tangible benefits.