Tech:NYC Mailbag: AI in Government, Digital Equity, and AI Policies
Welcome to the first-ever Tech:NYC Mailbag!
This is where we answer your questions about tech, New York City, tech policy, and how it all intersects, by going straight to the people building, shaping, and implementing it.
You’ve got questions about tech in New York. We’ve got the people with answers.
Have a question for a future Tech:NYC Mailbag? Submit your Qs about tech, NYC, tech policy, and more here.
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The NYC government is missing AI — everyone seems to be afraid of it. Why doesn't the local government get buy-in from every staff member by training them to help with ‘mundane’ tasks?
– Christian L.
For answers, we called in Austin Boral, founder of Tech:NYC member Civic Roundtable, an AI-powered government operations platform that helps public agencies coordinate people, knowledge, and work across agencies and partners.
The hardest part isn’t tech. It’s trust. Public servants are resource-strapped and risk-averse for a reason, and new tools have to meet them where they are. One of my co-founders (Josh Seiden) likes to say that we’re the “anti-Field-of-Dreams team” — no offense to Kevin Costner, but “if you build it, they will come” does not work for public servants like it does for the ghosts of baseball players.
We’ve learned that adoption only works when technology fits existing workflows, saves time immediately, and proves value quickly. That’s why Roundtable integrates with their existing tools and focuses on solving real, day-to-day coordination problems rather than forcing big behavioral or systemic change upfront.
To answer the question directly — those “mundane” tasks are exactly where the opportunity lies. As I experienced firsthand when I worked for NYC government, staff spend an enormous amount of time answering repeat questions, digging through inboxes for the latest guidance, or re-explaining roles and responsibilities as teams turn over. These tasks may seem small, but they add up to real drag on mission-critical work.
When AI is applied thoughtfully to help staff find the right policy memo, draft a stakeholder update, or summarize a meeting thread, it doesn’t just save time — it builds momentum. Starting with these everyday pain points helps build trust, demonstrate impact, and create the conditions for broader buy-in. In government, it's those small “mundane” wins that unlock mission-critical change.
What are the city's plans for the future of LinkNYC and efforts to ensure universal connectedness in the city?
– Bojan
We reached out to Tech:NYC member LinkNYC for their thoughts:
New York City is advancing LinkNYC as a cornerstone of its long-term strategy to achieve universal connectivity and digital equity. Through the Link5G program, smart poles are being deployed above 96th Street and outside Manhattan to expand free public Wi-Fi, phone calling, device charging, and enhanced 5G service across historically underserved neighborhoods.
Looking ahead, LinkNYC is evaluating potential new features and use cases — such as EV charging — to meet the evolving needs of New Yorkers. In parallel, LinkNYC is expanding LinkLocal (the city’s largest philanthropic digital advertising program) and LinkDirect to help more small businesses and nonprofits engage their communities through LinkNYC.
What policy investment would most help NYC workers and small businesses adapt to AI over the next few years?
– Dianne L.
Here’s what Alex Spyropoulos, Tech:NYC’s Senior Director of Policy and Government Relations, told us:
The most impactful policy investment New York City can make to help workers and small businesses adapt to AI is building AI and computing literacy for all New Yorkers, starting in our public schools and extending into adult workforce development.
As AI reshapes work, the greatest risk is not automation itself but unequal access to the skills needed to use these tools productively and responsibly. NYC should implement an AI literacy framework across public schools, expand teacher training so educators in every discipline can support foundational digital skills, and invest in community-based AI training for adult workers and small business owners.
With NYC-based AI companies raising $16.47 billion in 2025 and two-thirds of New Yorkers supporting public investment in AI, this approach ensures rapid growth translates into broad-based opportunity for our city.
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Submit questions for future Tech:NYC Mailbags here.
Questions have been edited for length and clarity.
