An Interview with California's New Chief Technology Innovation Officer

Audio of this conversation is available via your favorite podcast service.

In February, California Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Vera Zakem as California’s State Chief Technology Innovation Officer at the California Department of Technology, a role that places her at the center of the state’s evolving approach to artificial intelligence, digital services, and public accountability. The first woman to hold the title, Zakem brings deep experience from national security, democracy and human rights, and technology policy. Most recently, under former President Joe Biden, she served as the Chief Digital Democracy and Rights Officer at USAID, where she led global efforts to align emerging technologies with democratic values.

Zakem assumes the role as California, like many governments, appears to be accelerating its embrace of AI, with the Governor vaunting new AI tools to manage wildfires, streamline traffic systems, and assist public agencies. These efforts are not without controversy. As with every government, there are questions about how to deploy these technologies safely and transparently, and how to balance the interests of industry with the public interest—questions that are perhaps more pronounced in the home of Silicon Valley, where technology interests are acute. What does innovation in the public interest look like in a system that’s still taking shape?

For this episode of the podcast, I spoke with Zakem about the promise of state-led innovation and how to avoid its perils, what responsible AI governance might mean in practice, and how California might chart a course that’s both ambitious and accountable to its citizens.

What follows is a lightly edited transcript of the discussion.

Vera Zakem:

Vera Zakem, state chief technology innovation officer for the State of California in the California Department of Technology.

Justin Hendrix:

And Vera, of course, you have quite a storied career at the intersection of technology and democracy. Most recently USAID's first ever chief digital democracy and rights officer. You were responsible for leading that now, I suppose, largely defunct agency's efforts to support democracy in human rights in the digital age, promote information resilience. I don't know how much you're willing to get into what's happened there, but I think I'll ask you a question to start that maybe tries to bridge where you were to where you are now, which is perhaps what did you learn in that job that you are bringing into this one?

Vera Zakem:

As a first ever chief digital democracy and rights officer at USAID, I led digital democracy and responsible second innovation in 100 emerging markets in the developing world where we were operating in. And fundamentally what I learned there above everything else is how much people matter, how much the technology that we are designing, deploying, scaling, and delivering, it has to reach society and it has to reach the people. I think we have to be people first and society first. And one of the beautiful things that I'm very proud of what we did at USAID at my time there, not only is it the ability to develop programs and create strategies and so on and so forth, but actually deploy those solutions to the people. And I was very fortunate in the fact that I was able to travel to 19 of the countries that I represented to actually see on the ground what this actually looks like for the people and really partnering with countries to deliver.

And it's the same ethos, the same principles that I'm really excited to bring into this new role as state chief tech innovation officer. In fact, at the California Department of Technologies where my position is housed, even though I have kind of a statewide remit, we actually really focus on people first, security always and leading with purpose. And I think it is the same ethos, the same mission set that I'm so honored to bring that to California. Obviously, California is the fourth-largest economy in the world, representing 40 million people and, interestingly enough, 200 languages. So I think there's a lot of, I think, connectivity between a lot of the international work, what I've seen and experienced, and how technology and democracy play out globally, to how we feel and see it, and really deliver for the people here in California.

Justin Hendrix:

Let's talk a little bit about your remit. You are working under a governor who wants to advance artificial intelligence. I understand that just a month ago you have seen a sort of announcement around use of generative AI in the state around ideas like reducing highway congestion, improving roadway safety, enhancing customer service, et cetera. What is the sort of broad set of goals, the principles that you're applying in the public sector, when you think about how to apply new technology?

Vera Zakem:

Oh, absolutely. So I think there are a couple of things that I'm particularly focused on, and it is very much in line with, I think, the announcement around our use of general artificial intelligence and how we're scaling that for the government and ultimately to serve Californians. So I'm focused on related to that on a couple of key priorities.

One is, you had mentioned GenAI, so I am leading for CDT and obviously with a much broader footprint for really touching statewide. And again, with the real purpose of the Californians, the people that we represent, on emerging technologies, that's one of my priorities. So, yes, that is artificial intelligence and general artificial intelligence. But also looking ahead, I'm thinking through what does quantum look like? What does blockchain look like? What are these emerging technologies look like and how do we need to be thinking about them responsibly?

So we're thinking about, I think, one of the things that I am excited to bring forth from my career in the past is thinking about what that governance and responsibility look like. So we are talking about privacy by design, security by design, what does empathy look like, accessibility look like, so on and so forth. And thinking about these issues on the outset, applying context so that when we are deploying and scaling, we can apply these same principles across the departments and agencies and make sure that the services that are delivered to the people have that in mind.

So really leading on emerging technologies, also thinking through what I just mentioned, some of the responsibility and governance piece. What does, then, digital risk look like, and online harms related to some of these technologies? That's a piece of it as well. And fundamentally, it is really thinking what is digital service delivery via technology and digital really looks like here? Because fundamentally, this is really about how do we actually meet the needs of people in California in the most efficient and productive way possible. And I firmly believe that California is already leading, we're moving fast and we're poised to lead even further and continue to move. But, we're going to build and scale and move, but we're going to do so with intentionality by thinking about that responsibility piece in mind.

Justin Hendrix:

So I was just in the Bay Area recently, driving into San Francisco. One of the things that's notable is all the wild billboards about all the new intelligence applications that are being developed in Silicon Valley. Tech Policy Press listeners, a lot of them, of course, are working on tech policy issues. They're working on thinking about how to apply artificial intelligence in different contexts, but many of them are also working on outlining the dangers, outlining the risks, outlining the concerns. And of course, we're seeing in the federal government right now, what looks to me at least like a very risky and irresponsible use of artificial intelligence across federal agencies, as we see various products rolled out, often, it appears, with little consideration.

I know in California, you've got a more formal process for thinking through how to develop and deploy AI tools. You've got guidelines essentially that were issued under executive order by Governor Gavin Newsom last year. Can you tell me how you think about that tension between, quote-unquote, innovation or improvement of government services or efficiency, and some of the safety and bias concerns?

Vera Zakem:

Yeah, no, that's a great question. So first of all, to your point, and I'm glad you were able to get out here as well, and all the billboards that you saw, we are the state of innovation, and I think we take pride in all of that, right? But I don't think it's necessarily where innovation has to be on one end of the spectrum and safety, security, and responsibility on the other end of the spectrum.

What I think about and how we're approaching this is when you think about good governance and responsible use of technology, that is what actually helps you move faster. That is what actually helps you innovate faster because you're thinking about this at the outset as a first-order principle. That's some of the way that we're doing this, I think is because I think it leads to adaptability, it leads to scalability, and that is what's going to lead to innovation. So I don't think they have to be on two opposite sides of the spectrum. In fact, they need to be side by side working together, and that's how we're thinking of it.

And fundamentally, I think we both can agree this is about building trust. You are not going to get on a plane with a broken wing, no one will, if you knew ahead of time. So this is about building trust in the technology. Building trust is a consumer, of course, and as a citizen. Because for us to deliver services to citizens, citizens want to be able to trust not just the information they're seeing online, but that the services we're going to deliver and they're backed by technology can also be verified, and they're also incorporating privacy and security and so on and so forth. So fundamentally, this is also really about trust and also trust in government. So I think we have to be thinking about it not just as residents and consumers, but also that trust in public institutions, and obviously, the state of California is a pretty significantly large public institution.

So that's why I think I know there's this tension, the tension, we always talk about this tension because we want to move with speed and relevance, but I also think we're being very intentional and thinking about that layer of responsibility on the front end.

Justin Hendrix:

So can I just dig into that a little bit? Can you give me a specific example of how the state is thinking about transparency, accountability, and responsible use of artificial intelligence? Is there a particular process or a particular rollout of an initiative that you could point to?

Vera Zakem:

Yeah, for sure. So I'm just going to highlight a couple of things for you. So earlier this year, one of the things when you think about transparency is I know I actually think about open source, right? So in January of this year, we at CDT, the California Department of Technology, unveiled the new and improved Open Source Portal where developers, government agencies and the public have been able to collaborate to share ideas and digital tools for solving actual problems. This is an updated portal containing nearly 1,250 code sets, make it easy to share digital resources and solutions by breaking down silos.

And what that means is that there's no reason to reinvent the wheel. These tools are created by one team, but can be shared and adopted by our users, by others, multiply impact, and drive innovation. And I start first with open source because I think open source is one thing that really focuses on that transparency and accountability piece of this as well.

And then you also mentioned the recent announcement, how we were actually using generative artificial intelligence to solve real world problems for Californians. So again, as another example, we at the California Department of Technology partnered with a number of departments and agencies and actually deployed the first in the nation GenAI technology to improve government efficiency, and equally and really important, digital service delivery.

So, for example, in the specific case in traffic safety, we partnered with industry to identify high collision locations, recommended safety improvements across highway systems to proactively address road risks and most especially to vulnerable users. But we were doing, so we're thinking about what does this mean in terms of security and what that meant in terms of privacy as well.

And then the last, but not least, I will also tell you that our digital identity platform that we have been developing, and we have actually piloted, we've had a number of pilots that is the first in the nation that actually incorporates privacy by design principles as well. To not only actually identify who you are, but also identify the eligibility of the services that you are eligible for, whether you're a student, whether you're a veteran. And in that doing so actually provide not just cost savings for the state, but for the resident.

Justin Hendrix:

So I want to ask you a little bit too about how you think about updating legacy systems, the degree to which that's a kind of process that you spend most of your time on. I imagine that California, like all governments, has an enormous amount of, quote-unquote, technical debt, a lot of systems that are been in place for a long time. You can't just throw everything out and institute new technology. How do you go about thinking about that? How do you think about some of those kind of core systems? What are some of the older things that are still operating in the state that you rely on?

Vera Zakem:

I mean, there are fundamental, I think, systems that, of course, CDT and California relies on, or the state of California relies on. But we are also in the 21st century, and we're thinking through very carefully about what does digital looks like, what technology looks like. I think we both can agree that we were not dealing with emerging technologies even in the same way five, 10 years ago. Sure, artificial intelligence and machine learning and natural language processing was there, but not to the degree that we're thinking about some of these things right now from the perspective not only how they can be deployed and scaled responsibly across our great state and departments and agencies. But also for service delivery for the people. And again, what is the impact to the people? So we're constantly thinking and adapting to make sure that we're adapting and doing so with scale.

So I'll just give you even one example of what I'm talking about of how we're adapting and scaling and thinking thoughtfully, and again, thinking also responsibly to make sure we're serving everyone. So one example I will tell you is for our CA.gov, and that's where obviously we had a pretty horrific natural disaster in LA, which are the wildfires. And as part of CA.gov, we connected Los Angelenos with resources and services they needed at unprecedented speed and scale so they can access the information they needed in their time of need. And we did that through a seamless survivor center platform for essential services, lost documents, food and financial assistance.

Now I bring that example up because it's just powerful what we can do now with digital services, what we can do now with technology. So yes, we work with the systems and we continually evolve and think through what kind of systems we need. But one of the reasons that I'm really excited to be here is to think about not just what's now, but also be thinking about what's next. I think what's next is making sure that, this is even now, thinking about how do we have the impact that we need to have to deliver those services and how can we use all of those emerging technologies to actually fundamentally serve people, but also minimize those risks as we've talked about.

Justin Hendrix:

Let me dig into the LA fires example a little bit, and just to get a sense of how your office works. Clearly, that event, that set of events occurred before you took office, as I understand it. How, I guess nimble is your office? Are you actively getting involved in scenarios like that? Is that the type of thing that in your role, if another type of disaster like that occurs is the office essentially in real time responding and thinking about the application of technology? How does it work?

Vera Zakem:

One of the core pieces that I have under my purview is web design and web development and thinking through how to actually responsibly serve citizens. And by the way, we at California Department of Technology, we're not doing this by ourselves. We do this very closely in partnership with other departments and agencies is very important. And while we are able to pretty rapidly, and we're thinking actually right now to make sure this LA Fires was one disaster, making sure we're future-proofing this for follow-on disasters in terms of being able to use of digital and technologies, but it's also working with partners and with subject matter experts on disasters to ensure that we are able to partner and deliver to people in need wherever they are and when they're most in need, including vulnerable populations.

So this is something, obviously, there were a lot of lessons learned there. But I think we're at CDT very proud of the work that we've been able to accomplish. And by the way, obviously with a number of other stakeholders including the Office of Data Innovation, including the Governor's Office, Cal OES and other really important stakeholders across our great state.

Justin Hendrix:

I might assume that since you're right there in California, you're surrounded by so much technology talent that it's easy for you to hire into this office. On the other hand, I can imagine that it might be hard because there is such a demand for tech workers, engineers, developers around you. How do you go about thinking about that piece of it, the people piece?

Vera Zakem:

So technology is great, but at the end of the day, the people piece is the most important. There's a couple of pieces I'll talk about there, and I think this piece is actually very important to me as a leader, as an executive in this responsible tech and innovation space. And we're doing it a couple of ways.

One is we want to make sure that we continue to up-skill our own tech and digital talent and give those folks the opportunity to intentionally think through how can we serve Californians and everything about service delivery to emerging technologies as well as risk. And then also, to your point, even though we're surrounded by Silicon Valley, there's just so much great talent and by the way, there's amazing great talent right now across the US including coming out of Washington DC, that we are thinking through how to bring diverse tech talent into our state. And I know CalHR has already announced some great programs that they've piloted to actually even bring some of the federal workforce.

And then finally, I think I am really attuned to actually developing the next generation of leaders and giving them opportunity, women, but also students and other segments of the population. Because I think it's not just us who are in these seats. I think this is really important to think through who's going to be next after us. So, not just training, but giving opportunities for young people to enter this space when this space is just blooming is super important.

So the one thing that I will tell you that I'm really excited about is that we are this summer going to be bringing fellows, there are tech ethics and policy fellows from Stanford University who work with us this summer and they'll help us think through the responsible use of technologies and how do we actually, what we were talking about balancing risk and adoption and innovation to these technologies as well. So this is just one small example, but I think the people piece is arguably as important, if not more important, than the tech itself.

Justin Hendrix:

You have such a wealth, of course, of academic expertise and, of course, industry expertise as well. I assume your office is creating a kind of entry point for collaboration across those sectors. How do you think about those? What other partnerships can you point to, and how do you mind the industry in a way that respects the line between the public interest and the profit interest?

Vera Zakem:

Of course. So the first things first, right, I think is first order, if you will, principles. We are here to serve the public interest. We are here to serve the people of California. Back to an earlier comment that I mentioned, this is about trust as well. And I think we have to be intentional in thinking about partnerships in that same vein. And I know you probably have heard me say this in various iterations before, no one entity can do things alone, no matter how great they are. So I think building partnerships and intentional relationships is so important.

And so, one of the things that I'm excited to do, and one of the reasons that I was really excited to come into this role as state CTIO into the state of California and of course in support of our great governor, is that to really bring not just private sector, but really also lean into academic partnerships and partnerships with civil society and also international partners. I mean, I tell you, I mentioned earlier I had this great fortune to travel to 19 countries. I saw so much on the ground and how tech can be built for the people in partnership with societies and actually touch people and meet them where they are. And a lot of countries actually have really great examples. I'm hoping to really bring those insights and those collaborations from international to California. I think there's a lot of things that we can learn.

Let me just touch on one piece about academia. Yes, we sit in California, we also are the home of Silicon Valley. Not only do we have some of the best universities, including, of course, the University of California and Stanford and so many other institutions out here, which we regularly partner with. And we're so excited to celebrate what they're able to do, the research that they're doing, and the students, that they're actually coming out of these institutions that will further advance this field. But we have amazing other institutions, including the Cal State System and community colleges, they're quite literally in every single community and represent the diversity of the state. So because we're so vast and large with 40 million people, it just presents us enormous amount of opportunities. So I really look forward to partnering with all of those institutions as well in this new role.

Justin Hendrix:

Just a final question for you. For my listeners who may not have much of a mental model of what your day-to-day is like, someone who does the job that you do, could you just explain what it's like to go to work? Who's around you? How many people are you managing? What do your days look like in this type of role?

Vera Zakem:

So I appreciate that question. It probably goes without saying every day is a little different. I am really, really grateful to oversee a very diverse and talented team of policy, product, engineering, web designers, UX, digital strategists, all sorts of people who are really thinking about not just digital service and then also data and emerging technologies, but thinking about really not just digital services for digital services, but really thinking about how do we serve people and the impact that we want to have. And really thinking about how technology can really deliver for the people.

So the team is really diverse. It's not insignificant, but I think it's coordinated with the team on various problems that we're tackling, working with the departments and agencies. Obviously working in lock step with the Office of the Governor and other stakeholders. On any given day I also might engage in those partnership relationships and conversations, whether it's with academia and other institutions as well. So it's going to vary, and it'll really vary.

But the one thing that I can say is that I'm so proud of the organization that we have is just really represents the diversity also of the state. And back to what I started talking about, that we are people first, security always and that leading with purpose that speaks to that building trust, leading in the public interest and the sheer goodness that technology can have on society and certainly in the fourth-largest economy in the world.

Justin Hendrix:

Vera, I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me about this new job at the outset of your responsibilities and look forward to hearing more about what happens in California. Paying attention to it will be, I'm sure, inviting contributions from folks who are both observing and in some cases I'm sure criticizing the work of your office. But that's all sort of par for the course. Appreciate you providing them with this context as we go forward.

Vera Zakem:

Thank you so much. Always a pleasure.