A Government Artificial Intelligence [AI] Webinar Roundup

Catch up on recent AI-focused webinars for Government.

Manage Fewer Resources and Higher Demands with AI PCs Government teams are stretched thin, but AI PCs offer a smarter way to keep up. Watch this on-demand webinar on how these AI-powered devices can help state and local agencies work faster -- without sacrificing security. WATCH NOW   AI at the Edge: What Public Sector CISOs Need to Know Now As artificial intelligence capabilities become embedded in everything from public services to campus operations, leaders in the public sector face a pivotal challenge: How to support innovation without compromising security, compliance or control. WATCH NOW   AI, Automation, and Mitigating Risk in Government IT Watch this on-demand webinar for a discussion on how AI and automation are reshaping government IT operations. WATCH NOW   Quantum-Safe Printing and AI-Driven Protection Cybersecurity isn't just about firewalls and phishing filters anymore. As quantum computing edges closer to reality and AI changes how agencies operate, one often-overlooked part of the tech stack is getting smarter — and safer. WATCH NOW   AI in Action: Real-World Workflows Watch this on-demand webinar webinar where we'll walk through real workflows where AI workstations are already making a difference. You’ll leave with a sharper understanding of what’s possible today, what’s worth piloting next, and what to put on the roadmap for tomorrow. WATCH NOW   Navigating the Federal Transition: AI Use Cases, Security Risks, and What You Need to Know As state and local governments adapt to new federal administration policies and priorities, IT leaders must continue to modernize. This webinar explores what it takes to build AI-ready infrastructure, ensure security and compliance, and learn from real-world use cases in the public sector. WATCH NOW   AI-Powered Automation that Servesfor Efficient Government Gain insights on how to deploy secure, scalable AI solutions that work seamlessly with your current infrastructure—ensuring compliance and minimizing risk. WATCH NOW

To view upcoming and on-demand webinars, visit: webinars.govtech.com   📜 All attendees will have the opportunity to download a certificate of attendance at the completion of a webinar.  For questions or assistance with registration, contact:  resources@govtech.com

From Hype to Habits - Comparing data on generative Artificial Intelligence in law firms

Rochester New York attorney Nicole Black has posted another item, this one addressing Generative Artificial Intelligence as a law firm tool.

Click HERE to access Ms. Black's post on the Internet.

Ms. Black's earlier Daily Record articles can be accessed here.

New York State Comptroller DiNapoli reports his Office of Unclaimed Funds has returned $266,069,545 being held as unclaimed funds to its owners, entities and individuals since January 1, 2025

New York State’s Abandoned Property Law requires certain entities to transfer abandoned money or securities to the New York State Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds. Entities required to report and remit unclaimed funds include, for example, banks, insurance companies, corporations and government agencies.

These funds are transferred to the Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds from inactive bank accounts, uncollected insurance policies or refunds, amounts due for undelivered goods or services, abandoned stocks, uncashed checks and more. The Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds serves as the custodian of such property until it is claimed by the rightful owner.

For example, State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli presented the Long Island Hispanic Bar Association an unclaimed funds check in the amount of $2,988.27 at a recent SOMOS New York Conference. SOMOS is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, "501(c)3 organization" that unites the Latino community.

To access the Comptroller's Internet site to search for "unclaimed funds" belonging to an entity, public or private, or to an individual or to a family, being held by the Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, and for instructions for filing an application to retrieve such property from the Comptroller’s Office of Unclaimed Funds, click HERE.

Son admits stealing almost $80,000 of pension benefits deposited into his late father's bank account by the New York State Employees' Retirement System

On May 12, 2025, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli and Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced the son of a Long Island state pensioner pleaded guilty to identity theft in connection with his theft of nearly $80,000 in pension payments deposited into his late father's bank account. The defendant, Richard Gaines Jr., 55, of Daytona Beach, Florida was arrested in November 2024 following an investigation by DiNapoli’s office.

“Mr. Gaines Jr. tried to profit off of his deceased father’s nearly 30 years of public service,” DiNapoli said. “My office prioritizes protecting our pension system and members from fraud and abuse. My thanks to District Attorney Donnelly for her partnership in ensuring those who steal public funds are held accountable.”

“Richard Gaines Sr. was a dedicated public servant who rightfully earned his pension for nearly 30 years of service to the State of New York. After his death, this defendant dishonestly stole his father’s identity and tens of thousands of dollars of his father’s pension benefits that he had no claim to,” said District Attorney Donnelly. “Public employees work hard knowing that the benefits they earn will ease their retirement. This defendant, motivated by his own greed, tried to take advantage of this system, and with our partners at the New York State Comptroller’s Office, we held him accountable for his crimes.”

The defendant’s father worked for the Nassau County Bridge Authority for 29 years before retiring in 1996. He received state pension payments monthly via direct deposit into his checking account. He died on Nov. 9, 2019, and all pension payments were to end, but DiNapoli’s investigators found Gaines Jr. used his father’s debit card to steal benefits deposited into the account from 2019 to 2022. Gaines Jr. was not an account holder on his father’s checking account and did not report his father’s death to the New York State Local Retirement System until June 2022, at which time payments were stopped.

Gaines Jr. used about $2,484 of the money he stole to make personal purchases at Nassau County businesses. He also made ATM withdrawals in New Jersey, Georgia and Florida.

Gaines Jr. pleaded guilty to identity theft in the first degree in Nassau County Court before Judge Colin O’Donnell. He is due back in court on July 17.

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Since taking office in 2007, DiNapoli has committed to fighting public corruption and encourages the public to help fight fraud and abuse. New Yorkers can report allegations of fraud involving taxpayer money by calling the toll-free Fraud Hotline at 1-888-672-4555, by mailing a complaint to: Office of the State Comptroller, Division of Investigations, 8th Floor, 110 State St., Albany, NY 12236, or by emailing a complaint to investigations@osc.ny.gov.

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli posts audits of New York State local governments on the Internet

On May 14, 2025, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli announced the following local government audits were issued.

Click on the text highlighted in color to access the full audit issued.

Town of Sherburne – Budgeting (Chenango County)

The budgets adopted by the board underestimated revenues and overestimated expenditures. In addition, officials appropriated fund balance to balance the budgets because purported revenues were not sufficient to fund operations. However, operating surpluses occurred which resulted in an unplanned increase in fund balance. Furthermore, the board did not have written multiyear capital or financial plans or a written fund balance or reserve policy in place to guide the board’s decisions regarding appropriate fund balance and reserve fund levels. As a result, more taxes may have been levied than were needed to fund the town’s operations.

Yates County – Court and Trust Funds  

The treasurer delayed turning over $44,940 of abandoned property to the State Comptroller for three years. In addition, the county clerk’s register did not include one court and trust action totaling $38,253 identified in the treasurer’s records. Lastly, the surrogate’s court register did not include an action ordering the deposit of $6,867 with the treasurer during 2017.

Town of West Seneca – Audit Follow-Up (Erie County)

The purpose of this review was to assess the town’s progress, as of December 2024, in implementing recommendations in a March 2020 audit. The audit determined that the board did not properly plan and manage a certain capital project and was not fully transparent on the anticipated project costs. As a result, original estimates of $9.8 million were increased by more than $3.6 million after competitive bids were received. In addition, town officials did not ensure an itemized project budget outlining revenues and expenditures was maintained in the accounting records. The audit included four recommendations to help officials monitor and improve the town’s capital project management, none of which were implemented.

Town of Perth – Conflict of Interest (Fulton County)

A board member was the sole proprietor of an automotive company that did business with the town. Therefore, the board member had a prohibited conflict of interest, which means they did not follow state law and the town’s code of ethics. The prohibited interest occurred when the board member’s business repaired a town dump-truck and was paid $13,183 for the repair. The board member with the prohibited conflict of interest, the town supervisor, and another board member approved the $13,183 payment. According to the board member with the conflict of interest, he approved the claim because two board members refused to approve the claim due to their concerns with his prohibited conflict of interest. The town supervisor stated he approved the claim because the repair work was completed so the town had an obligation to pay. Although the town supervisor, who is a member of the town’s board of ethics, had concerns with the payment, he was unable to provide a reasonable explanation for why he did not bring this matter to the board of ethics. The remaining board member approved the claim because the town supervisor had approved it.

Town of Perth – Supervisor’s Records and Reports (Fulton County)

The supervisor did not maintain complete, accurate and timely accounting records or provide adequate financial reports to the board. For example, as of March 31, 2024 the general fund was overstated by $584,018 and the highway fund was understated by $123,066. As a result, the board lacked reliable records and reports to manage the town’s financial operations. The supervisor also did not prepare any monthly bank reconciliations during our audit period and the adjusted bank balances did not agree with the cash balance from the accounting records. The general fund and the highway fund cash balances as of March 31, 2024 were overstated by a combined total of $460,952. The issues identified may have been detected had the board annually audited the supervisor’s records as required by state law.

Montauk Fire District – Payroll – Advanced Life Support (ALS) Employees (Suffolk County)

The board overpaid its 13 ALS employees a total of $9,386. A lack of oversight and inadequate controls led to the overpayments occurring. The district’s inconsistent time records and the secretary-treasurer not reconciling time records before processing payroll enabled three ALS employees to overlap their shifts at the district and the neighboring Amagansett Fire District. Had the chairman of the board, who was responsible for reviewing the payroll, checked the calculations or verified that ALS employee hourly rates were correct before certifying the payroll each pay period, the payroll calculation errors may have been identified and corrected.

Town of Wawayanda – Financial Operations (Orange County)

The board and town officials did not properly manage financial operations, and the board did not provide adequate oversight. The board adopted unrealistic budgets. For example, the board continuously adopted budgets that underestimated revenues by approximately $5.2 million and appropriated $2.2 million of fund balance that was not needed to fund operations during the audit scope period. The board did not effectively manage the town’s fund balance over the last five fiscal years, resulting in operating surpluses that increased unrestricted fund balance from $4.3 million for all funds to $7.7 million as of the end of 2023 or 118% of the 2024 appropriations. The board also did not adopt a fund balance policy. Therefore, no rationale was established for maintaining this level of unrestricted fund balance. As a result, real property tax obligations for town residents were likely higher than necessary.

Auburn Industrial Development Authority (AIDA) – Project Approval and Monitoring (Cayuga County)

The board and AIDA officials did not properly approve and monitor projects. The board and AIDA officials did not review all supplemental documentation for project approval or properly monitor the 16 active projects. AIDA officials did not require project owners to submit supporting documentation for capital investment and job data with applications and ensure project owners submitted the required annual reporting form and supporting documentation needed to monitor project goals, including job retention and creation. In addition, AIDA officials did not conduct policy-required site visits in 2023 and 2024. As a result, the board and AIDA officials did not adequately monitor job creation and retention and did not determine the reasons for all of the variances between 2023 year-end jobs and project goals or document their assessments.

Village of Hudson Falls – Information Technology (IT) (Washington County)

The village board and officials did not establish adequate controls to safeguard IT systems or develop adequate IT policies or procedures. In addition, the board did not develop and adopt an IT contingency plan to help minimize the risk of data loss or suffering a serious interruption of services, periodically test backups or provide IT security awareness training. As a result, village officials cannot be assured that village IT systems are secured and protected against unauthorized use, access and loss, and there is an increased risk that officials could lose important data and suffer a serious interruption in operations.

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