PROJECT BRIEF

BACKGROUND

Santa Clara County, California, like many local governments, is increasingly navigating both the promise and complexity of emerging technologies—particularly artificial intelligence (AI). The effective and responsible adoption of these tools requires more than technical infrastructure; it demands a shared understanding of key terminology and a standardized framework to evaluate harmful risks.

AIMS

The project was guided by two overarching goals: to (1) build a shared understanding of emerging technology and core concepts and (2) support responsible AI governance. By grounding both tools in accessibility, adaptability, and ethical foresight, our team aimed to equip the County with long-term, scalable tools for digital governance.

METHODOLOGY

The project team’s approach combined stakeholder input, policy research, and technical design to create user-informed, standards-aligned deliverables. The team conducted stakeholder interviews with County staff  and domain experts to better understand practical barriers and specific challenges related to AI and emerging technology. Additionally, a foundational literature review enabled the team to identify leading practices in topics such as explainability, bias mitigation, and environmental impact.

DELIVERABLES

The project team developed two complementary deliverables: (1) an interactive, maintainable Tech Dictionary Wiki designed to build digital literacy among non-technical stakeholders and (2) a tailored AI Risk Assessment Framework that aligns with county goals, national standards, and stakeholder input. Together, these tools support Santa Clara County’s efforts to make informed, transparent, and responsible decisions regarding emerging technologies.

IMPACT AND FUTURE WORK

These deliverables empower individual county workers to learn essential information as the AI landscape continues to rapidly evolve. Future work should focus on updating the terms, adding new terms, creating new learning paths, integrating the technology dictionary into the risk assessment framework for easy access, and updating the AI risk assessment to correspond with new AI capabilities. Ongoing use of these deliverables can help ensure county workers remain informed and accountable as AI integration expands.Together, these tools equip Santa Clara County with scalable resources for understanding and evaluating AI technologies.