Maui County Finance Director Scott Teruya has been appointed to a national exploratory committee that will look into how artificial intelligence could potentially help local government.

The Artificial Intelligence Exploratory Committee, established by the National Association of Counties, will examine emerging policies, practices and potential applications of AI as well as its consequences, according to a Maui County news release. The 15 committee members, representing elected and appointed county officials from across the country, will focus on examining county governance policies and practices, operations and services for constituents, public trust, privacy and security issues, and workforce productivity and skills development.

“It’s exciting to be part of this committee that could help not only the County of Maui but other counties across the country, as we explore potential ways we can use artificial intelligence to make government more efficient in serving residents,” said Teruya, who has been the Maui County finance director since 2019, following 11 years as the county real property tax administrator.

The committee also plans to develop a policy and practice toolkit with sample guidelines and standards for AI, as well as advise NACo on public policy issues and facilitate education opportunities.

The committee will meet at NACo’s annual conference on July 22, with plans to meet both in person and virtually as work progresses.

Teruya was nominated last month to serve a two-year term on the NACo Board of Directors, representing the International Association of Assessing Officers, from which he earned an Assessment Administration Specialist designation. He also helped to establish a Hawai’i Chapter of the International Association of Assessing Officers.