Governing AI in the Public Sector with NY State's Chief AI Officer Eleonore Fournier-Tombs

Governments are moving from discussing artificial intelligence to deploying it. But what does responsible AI look like when it is used inside large public administrations, across real services, using real people’s information?

In Episode 3 of Statistics in the AI Era, OECD Chief Statistician Steve MacFeely speaks with New York State Chief AI Officer Eleonore Fournier-Tombs, about the practical work of implementing AI across government while maintaining public trust.

They discuss the emerging role of Chief AI Officers, AI use cases in public service delivery, code modernisation and geospatial analysis; the data governance foundations needed for AI; and how risk assessments, acceptable-use policies and human oversight can make responsible AI operational.

The conversation also explores workforce impacts, the importance of upskilling and consultation, and the need for a governance model that gives agencies room to experiment while ensuring the highest-risk use cases receive extra scrutiny.

Host:

Steve MacFeely | Chief Statistician, Statistics and Data Directorate, OECD

LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/steve-macfeely-a1a710112/

Guest:

Eleonore Fournier-Tombs | Chief AI Officer, New York State

LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/eleonoreft

To learn more about AI governance challenges in the public sector: www.oecd.org/en/blogs/2026/07/governing-ai-and-data-in-the-public-sector-with-eleonore-fournier-tombs.html

To learn more about this policy area: https://www.oecd.org/en/about/directorates/statistics-and-data-directorate.html