Join host Sanjay Puri in this groundbreaking episode of the CAIO Connect Podcast as he sits down with Ajay Gupta, Chief Digital Transformation Officer for the State of California. Discover how one visionary leader is revolutionizing government services for 40 million Californians through cutting-edge AI implementation. 

Key Highlights: 

• How California built the nation's most advanced mobile driver's license program with cryptographic security 
• AI-powered fraud detection systems that process millions of identity verifications 
• Real-world implementation of agentic AI in government customer service 
• Reducing specialized license plate approval backlogs from 8 months to zero using LLMs 
• Balancing innovation with equity, accessibility, and responsible AI governance 
• Public-private partnerships that attract top AI talent to government work 
• Explainable AI solutions that provide legal defensibility for government decisions 
• The economics of government AI: measuring ROI across different service channels. 

Resources Mentioned: 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gajay 

⏱️ Timestamps: 

0:00 Podcast Highlights & Introduction 

5:00 Ajay's transition from the private sector to government  

11:33 Ajay's "aha moment" with GenAI and his balanced approach  

15:36 The California Mobile Driver's License (mDL) Program  

21:41 Stress testing AI models for a diverse population  

25:42 Using AI for specialized license plate approvals  

33:41 Identifying the right AI use cases in government  

36:11 Measuring success and ROI of AI initiatives  

40:25 Defining and implementing agentic AI  

46:23 The role of agentic AI in government services  

50:13 Implementing guardrails and governance for AI  

55:01 Evaluating new AI models and benchmarks  

57:09 Attracting and retaining AI talent in the public sector  

1:03:02 The key to California's innovation and what sets it apart  

1:06:39 Lightning Round of Questions  

1:08:30 Conclusion and farewell