AI for Government Communications: What to Expect at ALI’s October 2026 Virtual Conference

Government communicators are being asked to do more with the same small teams: keep employees informed, build public trust, respond fast in a crisis, and meet accessibility and records requirements along the way. AI can help, but only if it’s adopted in a way that holds up to public scrutiny. That is the focus of ALI Conferences’ AI for Government Communications Virtual Conference, held online October 14-15, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM ET each day.

The two-day event brings together communicators from city, county, state and federal agencies to share real AI workflows, policies and lessons learned. Here’s what’s on the agenda and who should attend.

Why AI for government communications is different

Private sector teams can often pilot a new AI tool in an afternoon. Public sector teams work under ethics laws, public records requirements, procurement rules and a higher bar for accuracy. At our Intranets 2026 conference, one state senate communications director explained that even buying business AI accounts for her team required several layers of approval, and that anything typed into an internal chat tool could become a public record.

That’s why this conference focuses on practical, responsible adoption: where AI saves real time, where human judgment has to stay in charge, and how to put guardrails in writing.

What you’ll learn

• Write executive messages, speeches and employee announcements faster
• Improve crisis and emergency communications
• Build public information campaigns using AI
• Translate and localize content more efficiently
• Create accessible communications that meet compliance requirements
• Summarize legislation, policies and lengthy reports
• Develop AI governance guidelines for communications teams
• Build internal knowledge libraries and FAQs
• Improve onboarding and change communications

Day 1 highlights: from pilot projects to daily workflows

Conference chair Stephanie Worrell, Chief of Staff at Duke University Health System, opens with Building Your Government Communications AI Toolkit: From Pilot Projects to Daily Workflows. Many teams are experimenting with AI, but few have repeatable processes. You’ll learn how to identify the tasks best suited for AI, build workflows that balance efficiency with human oversight, write internal guidelines, and report AI’s impact to leadership.

Vernon Ross, Founder of Vernon Ross Consulting LLC, follows with From AI Access to Adoption: Building Practical AI Fluency Across Government Communications Teams, an interactive workshop on moving past access to confident, everyday use while maintaining trust and public accountability.

Day 1 closes with a panel, Connecting Employees and Communities: The Evolving Role of Government Communications, featuring Kaitlyn Krasselt of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Susan Brown of the City of Lynchburg, Tammy Glenn of the County of San Diego and Angela Alexander of the City of Detroit.

Day 2 highlights: case studies from the front lines

• Don’t Automate, Augment: Keeping Humans at the Center of Communication. Jonathan Yost of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System shares the prompt strategies his team uses to turn Microsoft Copilot into an editor rather than a ghostwriter, and where AI does and doesn’t save a public sector team time.
• From Curiosity Lab to Council Chambers. Louis Svehla, Director of Communications for the City of Peachtree Corners, with Adam Judelson and Spencer Rogers of Common Sense, on how a city of 42,000 residents and 30 staff co-designed an AI tool for agenda management and tracking strategic goals.
• Leading Responsibly: Developing AI Policy Under a Restrictive Ethics Framework. Kimberly Wirtz, APR, Communications Director for the Washington State Senate Republican Caucus, on building AI policy, governance and review processes in a tightly regulated environment.
• Panel: The Future of Government Communications with Shenandoah Sowash of the US Government Accountability Office, Gabriel Sanchez of the California Department of Insurance and independent communications strategist Barbara DeLollis.

Who should attend

The conference is designed for directors, managers, specialists and officers in government communications, public information, public affairs, internal and employee communications, executive communications, crisis communications, digital services and HR communications. Whether your team is just getting AI access or already writing policy, you’ll leave with ideas you can use right away.

Every session is live on Zoom, and registrants receive the full recordings, so you can catch anything you miss. Attendees also receive a certificate of attendance for CEUs.

Frequently asked questions

When is the AI for Government Communications Virtual Conference?

October 14-15, 2026, from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM ET each day, hosted live on Zoom.

Is this conference only for federal agencies?

No. Speakers and attendees come from city, county, state and federal government, as well as public health and public retirement systems.

Will sessions be recorded?

Yes. Registrants receive access to the full recordings after the event.

Register

See the full agenda and register for the AI for Government Communications Virtual Conference. Need help making the case to your leadership? The event page includes a justification template you can download.