Poughkeepsie... Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming governments, businesses and impacting decision making as well as policy, making it essential for individuals and organizations to understand this technology and how to ethically integrate it into daily operations. To help local organizations including municipalities, school districts, fire and police agencies, nonprofit organizations, local businesses and others on their paths to transforming AI into practical solutions, the Dutchess County Office of Central and Information Services (OCIS), in partnership with Marist University, hosted its fifth free technology-centered summit, the Hudson Valley AI Summit today on Marist’s Poughkeepsie campus, with more than 200 people in attendance
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “As businesses and organizations continue to incorporate AI into their day‑to‑day operations to support their workforce and boost efficiency, it’s important to keep ethics at the forefront of those efforts. Using AI responsibly helps make sure we continue to build trust, empower people, and improve our work on behalf of our residents. We are so grateful to the team at OCIS for encouraging thoughtful conversations and learning around this ever-evolving technology, and to Marist University for once again hosting the Hudson Valley AI Summit and giving our region a great space to explore what’s next.”
At the summit, experts, including representatives from private sector industry leaders, educational institutions, and New York State and County agencies, discussed topics such as:
OCIS Commissioner Stephen Oscarlece said, “Our Hudson Valley AI Summit continues to be an important forum for exploring how artificial intelligence and technology can strengthen public and private sector work environments. It’s vital that we keep focusing on how to integrate these tools ethically and effectively by protecting personal information and maintaining meaningful human interaction. We are proud to continue this important conversation and are grateful to Marist University leadership for their support.”
Dutchess County Government is leveraging AI for efficiency and provide better service to the public. Currently, AI is used to streamline tasks such as refine or compare versions of documents to identify missing information, conduct research or review large volumes of information. Employees use AI to develop information content for the public that is easy to understand with plain language rather than complicated acronyms or government jargon. The Department of Community & Family Services is looking to implement a new AI-powered call center to safely and securely answer calls about temporary assistance benefits and guide people through the intake process, helping to get applications completed faster and improve client satisfaction. To guide AI integration in County operations, OCIS is working on various staff trainings and further developing the County’s AI policy to ensure the technology is utilized responsibly, with strong standards for ethics, security, accountability, and transparency.
“As part of Marist’s commitment to preparing every student for an AI‑driven future, I’ve spent the past two years as co-chair of the University’s AI Steering Committee working with colleagues and students to articulate our vision for this technology,” said Dr. Kevin Gaugler, Assistant Dean of Marist’s School of Liberal Arts, who also served as a panelist at the event. “This summit is exciting because it gives us a chance to put that vision into practice, with education, industry, government, and healthcare in the same room in conversation with one another. That kind of cross-sector dialogue is the best way we will all best address both the challenges and the opportunities that AI presents.”
Earlier this week, Marist University released a bold and comprehensive institutional AI strategy designed to ensure every student—across all majors—graduates prepared to thrive in an increasingly AI-driven world. The Marist+AI strategy was designed to look to the future while remaining grounded in the University's commitment to a liberal arts education, experiential learning, and technological innovation.
