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Deschutes County adopts revised generative AI policy, directs staff to use secured enterprise tools
Summary
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners voted to approve an updated county information-technology policy (IT-2) governing use of generative artificial intelligence, after staff described new enterprise controls and recommended staff adopt county-purchased tools.
Deschutes County commissioners on April 16 approved a revision to the county’s information technology policy that governs staff use of generative artificial intelligence.
The update, described to the Board by Zach Nima, the county’s information security manager, adds direction that staff use two county-purchased enterprise tools that provide governance, technical controls and privacy protections for generative AI use.
Nima, speaking for CTO Tanya Mahood, told the Board the county’s earlier AI guidance remains in place but that “the piece that we’ve changed is that the kind of real time request response that we now have technical controls over.” He said staff have seen generative AI used for grammar and rewriting, drafting emails and policies, troubleshooting code and analyzing unstructured datasets.
The revised policy (identified in the meeting as Information Technology Policy IT-2) was moved for approval from the consent agenda, seconded and passed. Commissioners Chang and Dyer voted yes; the chair voted yes. A motion requesting the county administrator’s signature on the revised IT-2 policy was approved.
The policy defines two types of generative AI: interactive, real-time chat-style systems such as ChatGPT and embedded AI features inside software platforms. Nima said the update emphasizes use of the county’s managed enterprise solutions for the interactive, real-time systems so the county can apply governance and privacy controls—particularly for personal, health or criminal-justice information.
The Board recorded no additional conditions or amendments to the policy at the meeting. County staff said training materials that accompany the policy describe acceptable uses and that staff will be pushed to use the county’s secured tools rather than open public web services.
The Board took the vote on the motion to approve the county administrator's signature on the revised IT-2 policy and closed discussion on the item.
The county clerk’s office will hold the executed policy on file; staff referred public or technical questions to the county information-security office.
