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University of Maryland, College Park

Artificial Intelligence in Government

University of Maryland, College Park via edX

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Overview

The rapid rise of Generative AI between 2022 and 2025 has sparked unprecedented global interest in artificial intelligence, with millions of users engaging with cutting-edge models for the first time. While this technological revolution has generated immense excitement, many questions remain about how AI will shape society and governance.

Government agencies are at the forefront of this transformation. From facial recognition to public health and education, they play a pivotal role in determining how AI technologies are applied responsibly and effectively. This course is tailored for government leaders and professionals seeking to understand the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into public sector operations.

Learners will gain:

  • Foundational knowledge of AI concepts, including how humans and automation collaborate.

  • Insights into AI models and their applications specific to government contexts.

  • Strategies for implementation, addressing ethical considerations, policy frameworks, and practical adoption hurdles.

Through case studies and real-world examples, participants will explore how AI can enhance citizen services, improve decision-making, and drive innovation in governance. The course equips learners with the tools to lead confidently in an era where informed leadership is essential to harnessing AI for public good.

Syllabus

What to Expect from our Course:

  • Comprehensive Courseware: Our engaging courseware includes video lectures, quizzes, worksheets, and real-world case studies to enhance your understanding of AI in government.
  • Practical Applications: We bridge the gap between theory and practice, showcasing real-life examples of successful AI implementations in government. We also provide worksheets for the verified learners to test their knowledge and apply it to their current work.

Taught by

Joe Mariani

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Reviews

4.8 rating, based on 22 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Artificial Intelligence in Government

  • Anonymous
    Some of the quiz and final questions are poorly worded. For example, on the final in one question, it asks you to select three answers from four choices. When you do, it marks two of them incorrect.

    Also the instructor can be verbose. Some editing would improve delivery.

    Otherwise the content is useful and valuable.
  • Anonymous
    I am a Moroccan high school senior student and an aspiring political science student. I took up this course to familiarize myself with the state of governments globally and how they are acclimatizing to the pressure of adopting AI. I must say I was…
  • Anonymous
    At the moment, I'm studying for a master's degree in public administration, and this course has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the implementation of AI in various management systems. I've also noted a wealth of other useful information, including authors, links, products, and more. In general, this course is sufficient for a basic introduction to AI in public administration, provided you have the necessary knowledge. It's an excellent resource!
  • Anonymous
    This course was genuinely helpful to me because it did not oversell artificial intelligence or present it as a quick fix. Instead, it helped me understand how AI truly fits into government work in a practical and responsible way, with strong emphasi…
  • Anonymous
    This course provides a solid foundational overview of AI adoption in government, covering key concepts like automation vs. augmentation, scaling challenges, and the importance of mission-driven implementation. The frameworks for identifying AI oppor…
  • Anonymous
    A great overview course for people who are new to AI.

    It may have been more beneficial to focus on a single case study throughout the entire course to help us understand what to focus on when as a government organization implements an AI project.
  • Kuralay Abisheva
    The course ‘Artificial Intelligence in Government’ was very interesting and useful for me. It began with basic concepts about how humans and automation work together and covered how different AI models work and explored the unique challenges to adopting AI in government. I learned from the course the fundamental concepts of AI, types of AI technologies and their applications, how AI can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government and the unique challenges of AI adoption in government and other things. Thank you much!
  • Anonymous
    The course ‘Artificial Intelligence in Government’ was very interesting and useful for me. It began with basic concepts about how humans and automation work together and covered how different AI models work and explored the unique challenges to adopting AI in government. I learned fundamental concepts of AI, types of AI technologies and their applications, how AI can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government and the unique challenges of AI adoption in government. Thank you much!
  • Anonymous
    I worked with government agencies and help them improving their technology and digital transformation. The courses taught me a lot of knowledge how can I educate them better especially in adopting a new technology.

    I know it is a long course but totally worth it.
  • Anonymous
    This course will help you to understand the current state of, and challenges facing, AI in government. I first took the same course on another platform, but then took the exams here as well. I preferred the Coursera user interface. Please note that the quizzes contain very detailed questions about the course material.
  • Anonymous
    Good course. Real world examples of government application of the AI uses were useful in explaining concepts. Module had a logical progression. Actions to overcome barriers to AI scaling are insightful and practical.
  • Anonymous
    excellent course, I learned a lot of insights. The course is very helpful in understanding how government has been utilizing AI in historical context and offered a lot of real-life examples on what is the challenge and obstacles now for government to continue to adopt AI into public service.
  • Anonymous
    Going into this I only knew of AI as chatGPT. This opened my eyes as to what AI really is, the potential of applications in the workplace and where it may lead in the future. I know my company wants to start implementing AI and now I have a jumping off point on how to try and get the wheels in motion to make that a reality.

    The course is written for anyone to understand. You don't need a masters degree in computers. The real world examples are eye opening and very relatable.
  • Anonymous
    There are endless themes, topics and discussions around AI and it was very refreshing to engage with content that not only adds historical references and examples, but it also helps you align to what AI looked like through previous years.

    It gave me some excellent perspectives on taking all the knowledge and information out there, and focusing on getting real value from the use of AI and not just talking about it.
  • Anonymous
    In fact, the course exhibited excellent case studies and perspectives, not specifically for government but also for commercial institutions.

    The course exceeded my expectation.

    Thank you Joe and all the team
  • Anonymous
    I learned how AI can streamline government operations and improve public services, with practical examples and case studies that made the concepts clear. The instructor was excellent, explaining complex topics in an engaging and accessible way. Overall, the course gave me valuable insights into the role of AI in the public sector.
  • Anonymous
    Very informative course with lots of content. It can be improved by providing more resources for further reading and, probably, better structured quizzes. However, it is very good as it is, highly recommended.
  • Anonymous
    It was an enjoyable course, and I gained a lot of valuable information about artificial intelligence
  • Anonymous
    It is a really interesting introduction course to AI in Government. I thought the examples were very varied and demonstrated how AI can be deployed in government efficiently. I did, however, find that sometimes there were a few spelling mistakes (including in the final quiz) and there was a high focus on numbers reported by governments. I don't find the numbers as interesting as the policy and how's and why's. But was very interesting course!
  • Profile image for Benjamin Ochieng
    Benjamin Ochieng
    This is one of the Coursera courses I enjoyed the most. Joe Mariani's delivery style is so engaging and interesting. I completed the course in record time because I was always looking forward to the next Module. Very practical use cases and helpful guidelines.
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