>> Eric: THE COMMISSIONER OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS STEPPING DOWN THIS MONTH.

THE WALZ APPOINTEE TOOK THE HELM IN 2019, BEEN THROUGH COVID AND FRAUD AND CYBER ATTACKS AND ROLLED OUT A BRAND NEW STATE PROGRAM.

WE WELCOME BACK TO THE "ALMANAC" SHOW COMMISSIONER TAREK TOMES.

HOW OLD IS OUR I.T.

SYSTEM?

>> Cathy: WE HEAR IT'S CREAKY.

>> Eric: FLOPPY DISCS FROM THE '80s?

>> OH, ABSOLUTELY NOT, IN A LARGE CORPORATE SETTING LIKE WHAT STATE GOVERNMENT IS, MORE SIMILAR TO 3M OR CARGILL YOU HAVE EVERYTHING FROM THE ABSOLUTE MOST CUTTING EDGE OF TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE PAID FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE, JUST ROLLED OUT TO, OF COURSE, OLDER TECHNOLOGIES.

AND SO I THINK THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IN PARTICULAR UNDER GOVERNOR WALZ HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB OF MODERNIZING SYSTEMS, COMPLETELY OVERHAULED AND MODERNIZED DRIVER AND VEHICLE SERVICES, WORKER'S COMPENSATION, THE OFFENDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, CHILD WELFARE INFORMATION SYSTEMS, SO THERE'S AN ABSOLUTE PLETHORA OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY IN STATE GOVERNMENT.

>> Eric: DIDN'T CATCH FRAUD.

>> WELL, I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LOADED QUESTION, RIGHT.

GLOBALLY, FRAUD IS UP 30 TO 40% GLOBALLY, WHETHER YOU'RE A PRIVATE SECTOR OR PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATION.

COMPANIES LIKE VISA, TARGET, AND OTHERS ARE INVESTING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO FRAUD PREVENTION AND DETECTION.

IF YOU LOOK AT MINNESOTA THE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE SYSTEM AND OTHER SYSTEMS, ANYTIME YOU HAVE PROGRAMS THAT ARE BASED ON, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING BENEFITS TO PEOPLE OF COURSE YOU HAVE TO CONTINUE TO BUILD AND INSTRUMENT ROBUST FRAUD PREVENTION AND DETECTION PROGRAMS AND I'M REALLY CONFIDENT THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS WELL ON ITS WAY TO BEING AT THE FOREFRONT IN AMERICA AS IT RELATES TO FRAUD PREVENTION INSET GOVERNMENT.

>> Cathy: HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO KEEP UP ITH ALL THE THREATS, CYBERSECURITY THREATS?

IT FEELS LIKE EVERYONE'S IND OF, IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHACK-A-MOLE, THERE'S ONE HERE, TAMP THAT DOWN, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT?

>> NO, I THINK THE WHACK-A-MOLE ANALOGY IS A REALLY APT ONE.

I'M SURE ALL OF US HERE HAVE RECEIVED TEXT MESSAGES OR PHONE CALLS FROM, YOU KNOW, ACQUAINTANCES, RELATIVES THAT ASK, IS THIS REAL, I RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE ASKING ME TO PROVIDE INFORMATION AND THESE THREATS ARE CONTINUING TO CHANGE, CERTAINLY WITH THE PROLIFERATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THEY'RE GETTING MORE AND MORE SOPHISTICATED AND I THINK IT'S AN AREA WHERE WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE TO MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A STAND.

WE HAVE TO NOT STAND FOR LIVING IN AN UNSAFE DIGITAL PLACE, AND I'M REALLY HOPEFUL THAT WITH INCREASES IN CAPABILITIES, MAYBE LAW CHANGES AT TIMES, THAT WE CAN MAKE CONSUMERS AND PEOPLE MORE SAFE AND MORE COMFORTABLE IN THIS DIGITAL WORLD.

>> Cathy: YOU MENTIONED A.I., HOW FAR ALONG IS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IN THE ADOPTION OF A.I.

TECHNOLOGY?

>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

WE'VE STARTED OUR JOURNEY YEARS AGO, PROBABLY THREE YEARS AGO.

WE HAVE AN EFFORT THAT'S REFERRED TO AS TAIGA, TRANSPARENT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE GOVERNANCE ALLIANCE.

AND WE HAVE 15 TO 20,000 USERS IN STATE GOVERNMENT THAT ARE USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TOOLS FROM A GENERATIVE A.I.

PERSPECTIVE AND REALLY NEAT IMPLEMENTATIONS THAT ARE REALLY GROUNDBREAKING IN HELPING -- WE ROLLED UT AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE CAPABILITY THAT ANALYZES HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT NAVIGATE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS THAT STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE FAST LOOKING TO REPLICATE AS WE RECEIVE NATIONAL AWARDS OR THAT ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IMPLEMENTATION.

>> Eric: TECH IS THE ENGINE OF GOVERNMENT.

>> YOU GOT IT.

>> Eric: I SAW THAT IN NE OF YOUR INTERVIEWS I WATCHED THIS WEEK.

EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT.

>> YEAH, YOU KNOW, I REALLY THINK HAT TECHNOLOGY IN A STRONG, FORWARD-LEANING TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITY JUST LIKE WE SEE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS REALLY WHAT ALLOWS ADMINISTRATIONS TO BRING POLICY INITIATIVES TO LIFE.

IF YOU GO WAY BACK TO THE AFFORDABLE CARE LAN, LOTS OF TECHNOLOGY THAT HAD TO UNDERPIN THAT.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT FOR GOVERNOR WALZ ONE OF HIS REALLY SIGNATURE ACCOMPLISHMENTS, PAID FAMILY CFSS FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE STARTED AS AN IDEA AND ASPIRATION BUT IF THE TECHNOLOGY WASN'T THERE TO SUPPORT TURNING THAT INTO SOMETHING A CITIZEN OR RESIDENT CAN ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH AND RECEIVE BENEFITS FROM.

AND SO I THINK INVESTING IN TECHNOLOGY CAPABILITIES REDUCES FRAUD, IT HELPS GOVERNMENT WORK MUCH, MUCH, MUCH MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, SO YOU REALLY GET MUCH MORE, YOU KNOW, BANG FOR THE TAXPAYER DOLLAR, AND ULTIMATELY YOU CONNECT WITH PEOPLE AND ALLOW THEM TO GET SERVICES ON THEIR TIME.

>> Eric: YOU HEAD TO THE U OF M, YOU'LL BE A VICE PRESIDENT.

>> Cathy: YES.

>> I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN THAT VIBRANT COMMUNITY.

FIVE CAMPUSES.

DIFFERENT AND DISTINCT, CERTAINLY DIFFERENT STUDENT NEEDS ACROSS THOSE FIVE CAMPUSES.

A LAND GRANT INSTITUTION, AN INCREDIBLE RESEARCH ARM, IT'S WHERE TOMORROW LITERALLY IS INVENTED AND SHAPED AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO JOIN THAT COMMUNITY.