ORIGINATING AGENCY: Office of the Mayor
By virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the District of Columbia by sections 422(4)
and (11) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act of 1973, 87 Stat. 790, Pub. L No. 93-198,
D.C. Official Code§§ 1-204.22(4) and (11), it is hereby ORDERED that:


I. PURPOSES AND BACKGROUND
This Order:
A. Articulates six overarching Artificial Intelligence (AI) Values which District
government agencies must consider before deploying an AI tool;
B. Establishes an AI Advisory Group on AI Values Alignment to conduct regular
community and stakeholder engagement concerning these AI Values;
C. Identifies a series of AI strategic benchmarks, in the form of internal governance
standards and strategic plans, to be created within prescribed deadlines; and
D. Establishes an AI Taskforce to examine the District's current internal AI
governance posture and to support agency leadership in meeting the prescribed AI
Strategic Benchmarks, and to provide the Mayor with advice and recommendations
to further the goals of responsible and effective use of AI tools by District
government agencies.


II. DEFINITIONS
When used in this Order, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed:
A. "AI" refers to the broad class of technologies developed or marketed to be capable
of performing tasks otherwise requiring an intelligent human agent. Relevant tasks
include, without limitation, natural language processing including text and speech
generation, image analysis and generation, and a wide variety of probabilistically
determined classifications, predictions, scorings, and assessments.
B. "AI tool" refers to any enterprise product or service a major component of which
relies upon AI to function at all. AI tool does not refer to products or services which
make only ancillary use of AI, or which are designed to make use of AI to
accommodate a person with a disability.
C. "Deploy" refers to the act of operating an AI tool outside of a test environment, and
includes both agency-external use and agency-internal use. In addition, test
environment use constitutes deployment if any enterprise data classified higher than
Level 0, will, by virtue of such test use, be viewable by any person outside the
District government.


III. DISTRICT GOVERNMENT AI VALUES
Each agency planning to deploy an AI tool shall first verify whether such deployment is in
alignment with the following AI Values, assess impacts to these AI Values, consider what
controls might be used to mitigate negative impacts, and document its review:
A. Clear Benefit to Residents
No AI tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has verified that the
deployment will benefit District residents. An agency deploying an AI tool shall
articulate its purpose in deploying the tool, who will benefit from the planned
deployment, and what alternative means of achieving the purpose and the benefit
were considered.
B. Safety and Equity
No Al tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has carefully considered
how deployment will impact safety and equity in the District, and weighed such
impacts against the impacts of alternative courses of action, including maintenance
of the status quo.
C. Accountability
No AI tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has articulated how
deployment will maintain meaningful accountability for government action. An
agency deploying an AI tool shall explain what steps it has taken to preserve human
accountability for every action or determination flowing from the AI tool.


D. Transparency
No AI tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has articulated how the
deployment will be conducted transparently. An agency deploying an AI tool shall
explain when and how it will disclose when persons are directly interacting with an
AI tool, like an AI-powered chat bot, and not a human.
E. Sustainability
No AI tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has considered the
deployment's sustainability. An agency deploying an AI tool shall explain what
steps it has taken to assess the environmental impact of both use and development
of the relevant AI tool, and the impact deployment will have upon employee
displacement and job quality of District employees.
F. Privacy and Cybersecurity
No AI tool shall be deployed unless the deploying agency has carefully considered
the deployment's impact upon privacy and cybersecurity. An agency deploying an
AI tool shall explain how it plans to ensure the deployment does not violate privacy
rights or undermine the privacy of residents, employees, and visitors.


IV. ADVISORY GROUP ON AI VALVES ALIGNMENT
A. There is hereby established in the Executive Branch of the Government of the
District of Columbia the Advisory Group on Artificial Intelligence Values
Alignment ("Advisory Group").
B. The purpose of the Advisory Group is to engage with internal and external
stakeholders on the proper intersection of the District's AI Values and emerging
and future AI technologies to ensure all stakeholder perspectives are heard, and to
advise the Mayor on the refinement and alignment of the District government's AI
Values on an ongoing basis.
C. The Advisory Group shall:
1. Hold public listening sessions to solicit public input on the appropriate
government use of AI tools.
2. Upon request of the Mayor, review a specific AI tool, deployment, or
general AI technology and advise the Mayor on how the tool, deployment,
or technology might best be brought into alignment with the District's AI
Values.
3. Undertake such other functions as may be requested by the Mayor.
D. The Advisory Group shall comprise the following members, all of whom shall be
appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Mayor:
1. The following public members, who shall not be employees of the District
government:
a. One public member to serve as the Community Co-Chair of the Advisory Group;
b. Additional public members whose expertise shall include: racial
equity; disability rights; labor relations; criminal justice; education;
healthcare; privacy; cybersecurity; and transparency/open
government.
2. The following government members:
a. The City Administrator or their designee, who shall serve as the
Government Co-Chair of the Advisory Group;
b. The Director of the Office of Racial Equity or their designee;
c. The Director of the Office of Disability Rights or their designee;
d. The Director of the Mayor's Office on African-American Affairs or
their designee;
e. The Director of the Office of Labor Relations and Collective
Bargaining or their designee;
f. The Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Coordinating
Council or their designee;
g. The Director of the Homeland Security and Emergency
Management Agency or their designee;
h. The Chancellor of District of Columbia Public Schools or their
designee;
1. The State Superintendent of Education or their designee;
J. The Director of the Department of Health or their designee;
k. The Chief Technology Officer or their designee;
1. The Chief Information Security Officer or their designee;
m. The Director of the Mayor's Office of Legal Counsel or their
designee;
n. The Director of the Office of Open Government or their designee;
o. The Director of the Department of Employment Services or their
designee;
p. The Director of the Department of Human Resources or their
designee; and
q. The Chief Procurement Officer of the Office of Contracting and
Procurement or their designee.
E. Public members of the Advisory Group shall serve at the pleasure of the Mayor
from the date of their appointment until December 31, 2026, unless earlier removed
by the Mayor. The Mayor shall appoint members to fill vacancies for the remainder
of the unexpired term. Government members shall serve at the pleasure of the
Mayor.
F. The Advisory Group shall establish its own internal committees, bylaws, and rules
of procedure, subject to approval by the Mayor.
G. The Advisory Group shall meet at the joint call of the co-chairs, and at the call of
the City Administrator. The Advisory Group shall hold at least two public listening
sessions in Fiscal Year 2024, and at least one public listening session each fiscal
year thereafter.
H. The Office of the City Administrator, and such District government agencies as
may be designated by the City Administrator, shall provide administrative support
to the Advisory Group.
I. The members of the Advisory Group shall serve without compensation, except that
a member of the Advisory Group or a committee may be reimbursed for expenses
incurred in the authorized execution of their official duties if the City Administrator
or their designee approves the reimbursement.
J. The Advisory Group shall sunset on December 31, 2026.


V. AI STRATEGIC BENCHMARKS
The following District agencies shall work with the AI Taskforce to create the following
governance standards and strategic plans by the following deadlines:
A. By May 8, 2024, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer shall submit to the
Office of the City Administrator for review and approval standard privacy review
processes governing: the approval of deployments of AI tools which will make use
of enterprise data classified higher than Level O; and the regular review of the
District government's Enterprise Data Inventory in light of privacy risks arising
from emerging or future AI functionalities.
B. By May 8, 2024, the Office of the Chief Technology Officer shall submit to the
Office of the City Administrator for review and approval standard cybersecurity
review processes governing: the approval of deployments of AI tools which interact
with the District government's information technology environment, including
deployments that precede the effective date of this Order; and the regular review
and assessment of emerging, AI-powered cybersecurity threats.
C. By August 8, 2024, the Department of Human Resources and the Department of
Employment Services shall submit to the Office of the City Administrator for
review and approval an integrated recruitment and workforce development plan.
The plan shall identify existing recruitment and workforce development resources
relevant to the emerging AI job sector and shall articulate strategies for growing the
AI-ready workforce in the District of Columbia and recruiting AI talent into the
District government workforce.
D. By August 8, 2024, the Department of Human Resources and the Office of the
Chief Technology Officer, in consultation with the Office of Labor Relations and
Collective Bargaining, shall submit to the Office of the City Administrator for
review and approval a body of comprehensive training materials on the proper use
of AI tools by District government personnel.
E. By September 6, 2024, the Office of Contracting and Procurement shall submit to
the Office of the City Administrator for review and approval a mandatory AI
procurement handbook. This AI procurement handbook shall provide guidance to
agencies in the basic capabilities of broad categories of AI tools, structuring and
scoping AI tool procurements, and effectively monitoring performance of procured
AI tools.
F. Before October 1, 2024, a first cohort of agencies selected by the City
Administrator, before October 1, 2025, a second cohort of agencies selected by the
City Administrator, and before October 1, 2026, the final cohort of agencies
selected by the City Administrator, shall submit to the Office of the City
Administrator for review and approval their agency-specific AI strategic plans.
These agency- specific AI strategic plans shall identify: aspects of the agency's
mission where currently available AI tools may improve agency performance, areas
where the incorporation of AI tools may present new risks, safeguards the agency
will utilize to mitigate risks presented by the deployment of AI tools, and the
agency's AI tool deployment stakeholder engagement plan.


VI. Al TASKFORCE
A. There is hereby established in the Executive Branch of the Government of the
District of Columbia the Artificial Intelligence Taskforce ("AI Taskforce").
B. The purpose of the AI Taskforce is to provide deep AI strategy and governance
expertise and support to the Mayor and agency leadership, and to coordinate agency
efforts to meet the AI Strategic Benchmarks established by section V. of this Order.
C. The AI Taskforce shall:
1. Upon request of the Mayor or her designee, review and provide technical
advice on any specific AI tool, deployment, or general AI technology;
2. Provide regular reports to the City Administrator concernmg agency
progress in meeting the AI Strategic Benchmarks;
3. Furnish AI expertise and guidance as necessary to ensure agencies meet the
AI Strategic Benchmarks;
4. Develop a form whereby agencies can record their assessment of each AI
tool deployment's alignment with the District's AI Values;
5. Undertake such other functions as may be requested by the Mayor.
D. The AI Taskforce shall comprise five members, all of whom shall be District
government employees,one each with expertise in: AI and technology law; AI and
technology enablement; AI and data science; AI and software development; and
AI and cybersecurity.
E. One member of the AI Taskforce shall be designated by the Mayor as Taskforce
Lead.
F. Members of the AI Taskforce shall be appointed by the Mayor and shall serve at
the pleasure of the Mayor from the date of their appointment until December 31,
2026, unless earlier removed by the Mayor.
G. The AI Taskforce shall be composed of District government full-time employees,
serving the District government within the ordinary course of their employment.
The AI Taskforce is not a public body, and does not conduct meetings, as such
terms are defined by the District of Columbia Open Meetings Act, effective March
31, 2011 (D.C. Law 18-350; D.C. Official Code§§ 2-571 et seq. (2016 Repl.)).
H. The Office of the Chief Technology Officer shall provide administrative support to
the AI Taskforce.
I. The members of the AI Taskforce shall serve without compensation.
J. The AI Taskforce shall sunset on December 31, 2026.


VII. EFFECTIVE DATE: This Order shall become effective immediately.