From Creative Concerns to Cross-County Collaboration: The Task Force Gears Up

The Digital Innovation Task Force reconvened on November 13 for a meeting that blended cultural insight, statewide collaboration, and practical next steps for Michigan’s emerging digital future. The tone was thoughtful, forward-looking, and occasionally animated — especially when the conversation drifted toward the growing national debate over generative AI.

AI Resistance, Creativity, and the Blank Page

The meeting opened with a discussion about the rising public pushback toward AI tools across creative industries. Writers’ groups, artists, and some media organizations are drawing firm lines around what counts as “real” authorship.

The group reflected on four core themes:
• The line between plagiarism and legitimate AI-assisted drafting
• How AI helps people overcome blank-page paralysis without replacing originality
• The emotional tension many people feel when machines enter creative workspaces
• The importance of transparency so staff understand when AI is helping — and where human judgment still leads

Despite the cultural friction, members agreed that responsible, clearly-guided AI use is essential for government productivity and that the Task Force can model a balanced, ethical approach.

The Download: A Strong Start

Staff reaction to The Download — the county’s digital innovation newsletter — has been enthusiastic. Departments are referencing it in conversations, and it’s helping build shared awareness across the organization.

Liz and Emma will continue shaping future issues, keeping the newsletter flexible so it can evolve with new projects and community needs.

NotebookLM and the Future of Video Training

The Task Force briefly explored the growing capabilities of Google’s NotebookLM, particularly its ability to generate short instructional videos from uploaded documents. While still early technology, members saw promise for training materials, onboarding, and public-facing explainers as tools become more robust.

This led into a broader reflection on countywide AI literacy: some staff are already experimenting with tools and workflows, while others need clearer, task-specific examples to get started.

Building a Statewide AI Network

Drake shared progress on a new Michigan Local Government AI User Group. A statewide survey is being crafted to identify public employees already using AI, with the goal of creating a shared network for:

• Idea exchange
• Reducing duplicated effort
• Crowdsourcing solutions
• Supporting long-term modernization

The group strongly supported this initiative, recognizing that Michigan’s counties are facing many of the same challenges — and opportunities.

Project Updates Across Departments

Veterans Affairs – “Big Sarge” Concept

Veterans Affairs is exploring a dedicated AI assistant, informally dubbed “Big Sarge,” to help veterans navigate services, benefits, and routine questions. The idea parallels the role Marty plays for broader county operations and will continue to develop in coming months.

Courts and Legacy Technology

The courts remain interested in AI-supported tools, but technical constraints within aging AS/400 systems continue to limit integration. Long-term solutions may involve parallel systems or mapped data extraction — groundwork for a more modern future.

Communications & Web Modernization

The group revisited ongoing needs within communications infrastructure and confirmed the importance of the new Digital Communications Coordinator role as demands increase across departments and neighboring counties.

St. Joseph County Collaboration

Drake briefed the Task Force on early work with St. Joseph County, including directory modernization and preliminary planning for a future website rebuild. There is interest in forming a sub–Task Force to coordinate digital innovation regionally.

Regional Collaboration and Meeting Format Updates

A significant portion of the meeting focused on the structure and reach of future Task Force meetings:

• Alternating monthly between Zoom and in-person gatherings
• Inviting St. Joseph County — and potentially others — to participate
• Moving toward a multi-county Digital Innovation Forum

Members noted that AI policy, data readiness, staff training, and communications modernization are shared challenges statewide. A regional model could accelerate solutions for everyone.

FOIA and Transcript Retention: Continuing the Conversation

The group revisited FOIA questions raised in earlier meetings, especially around AI-generated transcripts. Key topics requiring formal policy language include:

• When transcripts qualify as public records
• When they can be deleted after meeting minutes are approved
• Consistency across departments using different transcription tools

This policy work will continue in upcoming meetings.

Action Items

• Continue development of The Download (Liz & Emma)
• Build out the Michigan Local Government AI User Group contact list (Drake)
• Explore feasibility of the “Big Sarge” Veterans Affairs chatbot
• Shape a cross-county meeting model including St. Joseph County
• Revisit FOIA transcript retention policy

The meeting adjourned at 10:02 a.m., concluding a session that blended statewide vision with practical next steps. The Task Force continues to make steady progress toward a more connected, collaborative, and digitally prepared public sector.