# Local governments using AI too slowly

> Boston and Massachusetts state workers lag behind private sector in AI adoption.
- Title: Local governments using AI too slowly · The Boston Globe
- Summary: Boston and Massachusetts state workers lag behind private sector in AI adoption. Government workers use AI less frequently than private sector employees…
- Keywords: boston, massachusetts state government, ai adoption, public sector, chatgpt, government workers, productivity, news, local, governments, using, too
- Source: The Boston Globe — https://bostonglobe.com/2026/10/21/business/ai-adoption-productivity-public-sector
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: boston, massachusetts state government, ai adoption, public sector, chatgpt, government workers, productivity, news, local
## AI productivity gap
Economists see rising worker productivity with AI but public sector lags behind private sector adoption.
## Government AI uptake slow
A survey of 100,000 government workers found less than a quarter use AI weekly versus 45 percent of private sector workers.
## Private sector AI use
45 percent of private sector workers use AI at least weekly saving over 2 hours a week.
## Government security concerns
Government workers face security risks from AI tools including hallucinated citations and bias in hiring software.
## State AI rollout
Governor Maura Healey gave 40,000 state workers access to ChatGPT under three-year OpenAI contract.
## State AI usage low
Only 6,500 state workers have used ChatGPT after three years of rollout.
## City of Boston AI
Boston rolled out AI tools slowly with training requirements for workers.
## Boston AI training
Workers must complete training before accessing Google’s Gemini AI assistant.
## Government AI barriers
28 percent of non-users don’t know how to apply AI tools to their jobs.
## AI training needed
23 percent of non-users don’t know how to use AI tools and 19 percent aren’t sure they’re allowed.
## Experts on AI
Experts say training and rethinking AI use are key to government efficiency.
## AI potential in government
Government can use AI to improve services without risking security or bias.

> We wouldn’t give you a car without teaching you how to drive and giving you a license
## Key takeaway

Government workers use AI less frequently than private sector employees despite potential for efficiency gains.