New York State Appoints Eleonore Fournier-Tombs as Chief AI Officer: A Major Step Toward Responsible Government AI

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how governments operate—and New York State is making a clear statement about how it plans to lead that transformation. The New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) has appointed Eleonore Fournier-Tombs as its first Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, signaling a strong commitment to ethical, transparent, and effective AI use across state government.
This leadership move positions New York as one of the most proactive states in building a formal governance structure around AI.

Why This Appointment Matters
AI is no longer experimental in the public sector. From streamlining operations to improving service delivery, governments are increasingly exploring how AI can help meet rising expectations with limited resources. By creating a dedicated Chief AI Officer role, New York State is acknowledging both the opportunity and responsibility that come with AI adoption.
The appointment ensures that AI initiatives across agencies are coordinated, policy-driven, and aligned with public values—rather than implemented in silos.

About the Chief AI Officer Role at ITS
The Office of Information Technology Services is the largest consolidated IT organization in U.S. government, supporting dozens of state agencies. As Chief AI Officer, Fournier-Tombs will help shape and guide AI strategy statewide, working across agencies to ensure AI tools are deployed safely, responsibly, and effectively.
The role is not just technical—it blends strategy, policy, governance, and workforce development, reflecting how complex AI adoption has become in government settings.

Who Is Eleonore Fournier-Tombs?
Eleonore Fournier-Tombs brings more than 15 years of experience in artificial intelligence, data governance, and digital transformation. She is widely recognized for her leadership in AI policy and ethics, including founding and leading the United Nations’ first AI policy research lab at the United Nations University.
Her background bridges research, public policy, and real-world implementation—making her uniquely qualified to lead AI efforts in a public sector environment where trust and accountability are critical.

Key Responsibilities and Priorities
As Chief AI Officer, Fournier-Tombs will focus on several core areas:

Strategic Leadership:
She will guide the design and implementation of AI technologies that support state operations while aligning with New York’s broader innovation goals.

Policy and Governance:
A major priority will be strengthening and updating New York State’s Acceptable Use of AI Technologies policy, ensuring AI systems are fair, transparent, and ethically deployed.

Workforce Enablement:
Fournier-Tombs will also expand AI education and generative AI tools for state employees. Notably, New York has already completed a pilot AI training program involving approximately 1,000 state workers—an early sign of its commitment to building internal AI literacy.

Vision from Leadership
State technology leaders have emphasized that Fournier-Tombs’ experience makes her well suited to help New York use AI to improve services while maintaining public trust. In her own remarks, she highlighted the potential for AI to enhance government operations, support data-driven decision-making, and ultimately deliver better outcomes for residents—when implemented responsibly.

The Bigger Picture: New York’s AI Strategy
This appointment aligns with Governor Kathy Hochul’s broader Empire AI initiative, which aims to foster innovation while setting clear guardrails for AI use. Together, these efforts reflect a vision of AI that supports economic growth, protects citizens, and strengthens public institutions.

What This Means for New Yorkers
For residents, this leadership move could translate into smarter public services, improved efficiency, and stronger safeguards around how AI is used in government decision-making. For state employees, it means clearer guidance, better tools, and growing opportunities to build AI skills.

Looking Ahead
With a Chief AI Officer now in place, New York State is well positioned to become a national model for responsible government AI. As policies evolve and new tools roll out, the focus will remain on using AI not just to innovate—but to serve the public good.