AI adoption in emergency management stalled by governance and procurement, not tech
Three reports published Tuesday argue that the main barrier to artificial intelligence adoption in emergency management is not a shortage of technology, but the lack of governance frameworks, procurement processes and workforce skills needed to deploy it responsibly. The research, produced by the Markle Foundation in partnership with Aspen Digital and RAND, arrives as state and local emergency agencies struggle with rising disaster frequency and limited budgets.
The reports catalogued more than 1,100 AI-enabled products from over 700 companies. Most vendors focus on response capabilities - hazard monitoring and damage assessment - while fewer tools address preparedness, recovery or cross-agency coordination.
Where AI fits
Emergency managers who participated in Aspen Digital workshops identified 40 potential AI use cases. The strongest demand centered on situational awareness, operational coordination and public information.
"Understanding that AI is designed as an augmentation tool, not a replacement tool," said Jeremy Greenberg, a senior adviser for Aspen Digital. "Then understanding that any of the adoption of artificial intelligence has to be based in trusting how you're using it, where the human factors are still coming into play and how it's being applied."
Greenberg said AI could cut time spent analyzing weather data, drafting emergency plans, communicating with the public and completing grant applications or after-action reports. "There are certain things where it's like if you can offload that data crunching, then turn the human to doing the analysis of the product that comes out of it," he said. "I think that's where we also get a win."
Procurement remains the biggest roadblock
The reports identified fragmented products, opaque pricing models, integration difficulties and privacy concerns as persistent barriers. Many AI vendors use token-based pricing that does not align with traditional government purchasing.
Greenberg described the tension between buying a la carte specialized capabilities and needing to bundle products from different companies. "Stacking them appropriately is the internal focus, then figuring out how to purchase them externally in bundles is the external approach," he said.
He recommended that agencies start by establishing governance frameworks, workforce training and procurement guidance. "With better governance comes better adoption," he said. For managers looking to build those internal capabilities, AI for Management Courses can help leaders understand how to evaluate and implement these tools responsibly. Similarly, AI for Government Courses offers training tailored to the procurement and workforce challenges public sector organizations face.
The AIDE Initiative plans to launch AI education programs, publish an adoption playbook, establish pilot projects and convene a summit in Austin, Texas, in September.
Why this matters for managers
For management professionals in emergency services and broader public safety, the reports shift the conversation from "should we use AI" to "how do we build the organizational structure to use it well." The core takeaway is that successful adoption depends on managers who can align procurement rules, staff training and governance frameworks - not on picking the right software. Without that foundation, even the most capable tools will fail in practice. Greenberg put it plainly: "The decisions about life and safety in that immediate threat environment and into the immediate response, you absolutely still have to have a human making critical decisions."
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