The North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) has recruited its first artificial intelligence (AI) governance and policy executive, a spokesperson for NCDIT told MeriTalk.
I-Sah Hsieh will work with NCDIT and other state agencies to establish and oversee AI governance frameworks and policies.
“He will ensure the ethical, transparent, and accountable integration of AI technologies into public services to support innovation while managing associated risks,” a spokesperson for NCDIT wrote in an email.
Hsieh is a long-time public sector executive who worked as an account executive, global manager of innovation development, and principal social innovation manager at SAS for more than 20 years, according to his LinkedIn page.
Hsieh said his work at SAS focused on using AI for “social good,” and he highlighted his involvement in launching GatherIQ, a mobile app that educates users on the United Nation’s 17 Global Goals.
“I believe that if everyone uses their skills and resources to help just one life at a time, we can all make a big difference,” Hsieh wrote on LinkedIn.
NCDIT’s announcement comes after North Carolina released its AI framework in August 2024. The framework aligned with the National Institute for Standards and Technology’s (NIST) risk management framework.
“Preservation of privacy should be the default and access to data should be appropriately controlled. Individuals developing or deploying AI systems should be conscious of the quality and integrity of data used by those systems,” NCDIT’s framework reads.
Hsieh will start the position with NCDIT on March 31, according to a spokesperson for NCDIT.
“By leading and crafting governance structures that prioritize ethics and security, he will directly impact how technology serves the state’s residents, businesses, and visitors,” the NCDIT spokesperson said.