(The Center Square) – A three-month pilot program designed to test whether artificial intelligence could help the state of North Carolina operate more efficiently has scored its first victory, state Treasurer Brad Briner said.
The state’s Unclaimed Property Division used ChatGPT to search for unclaimed property held by private businesses.
“OpenAI found millions of dollars in potential unclaimed property that could soon be on its way back to North Carolinians,” Briner said in a release. “After three months, DST’s initial findings show operational efficiency has been improved in key areas of our department, allowing us to better serve the people of North Carolina.”
Once the state confirms that the businesses are holding assets that belong to private citizens, the property will be returned to the treasurer’s office, which will track down the owners, Briner said.
A three-way partnerships of OpenAI, the Institute for Artificial Intelligence at North Carolina Central University and the Department of State Treasure will be able to provide third-party analysis of the pilot.
“All three organizations will be collaborating on a fuller report in the coming weeks detailing the successes and challenges of the program,” Briner said.
State agencies typically operate with huge amounts of data that could benefit from AI, according to Briner.
“The majority of it is public information,” he said. “As this pilot program wraps up, we are thrilled to say our divisions were able to take that publicly available information and utilize ChatGPT in ways that resulted in tangible and measurable improvements to their daily workflow.”
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, said the pilot program is highlighting the potential of AI in increasing government efficiency in “tackling complex challenges on behalf of their communities.”
