Maryland Gov. Wes Moore appointed Michael Boyce as the state's new senior advisor for responsible artificial intelligence on Wednesday. Boyce, who previously led AI adoption at the Department of Homeland Security and helped draft the 2023 federal AI executive order, will guide the state's strategy as it integrates the technology into public services and workforce development.
Federal experience brings AI governance to Maryland
Boyce will advise Moore and Katie Savage, the state's chief information officer and secretary of the Department of Information Technology. He will also work with the state's AI Subcabinet, the legislature, academia and the private sector to align technology with economic and service delivery goals.
His background in directing AI for Government operations includes founding and leading the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's AI Corps. That team of 50 senior experts delivered AI solutions across 22 offices and 10 federal agencies.
Prior to this role, Boyce served as an AI lead and generative AI technologist-in-residence at the U.S. Digital Response since last June. At the pro-bono tech nonprofit, he managed the AI portfolio program, helping launch over a dozen projects across 40 state and local government partnerships to improve language access, make benefits more accessible and accelerate permit processes.
Building on recent state technology initiatives
Boyce takes over from Nishant Shah, a former product leader for responsible artificial intelligence at Meta who departed the role in January after starting in August 2023. The state has recently accelerated its technology strategy under Moore's leadership. This includes the Governor's Modernization Initiative, which began in January 2025, following the state's 2024 Responsible AI Policy for governing AI systems.
Late last year, Maryland announced a partnership with Anthropic to use the company's AI tools to reduce child poverty, improve housing access and streamline administrative processes. At the end of last month, Moore also launched an AI Innovation Lab to equip state agencies with the tools needed to experiment with the emerging technology across their operations.
As Boyce advises the legislature and the AI Subcabinet on these deployments, his work parallels the strategic focus found in an AI Learning Path for Policy Makers, emphasizing responsible governance and practical implementation.
Why this matters for government professionals
State governments are shifting from theoretical AI policy to active deployment across public services. Boyce's appointment signals a clear preference for hiring leaders with direct federal and local implementation experience to manage this transition.
For public sector workers, this means upcoming AI initiatives will likely focus on measurable service improvements, such as streamlined permits and expanded language access, rather than exploratory pilots.
"Under the great work of my predecessor - Nishant Shah - and so many colleagues and partners, Maryland has built an incredible foundation to deploy and leverage AI both responsibly and at scale," Boyce said in a statement. "I'm excited to build on that momentum to bring meaningful improvements to Maryland's services and empower its State workforce, while protecting Marylanders' rights and privacy."
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