Score: +6
(6/2/0)
San Francisco County Grand Jury
• 2025-2026
City and County of SAN Francisco
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 4 findings
F1
Concerns over the potential risks of AI have led to an overly cautious approach toward emerging technology. The city risks missing opportunities to harness new technology to improve governance and delivery of services to citizens.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
1 By September 30, 2025, the mayor should direct DT to produce a comprehensive AI strategy — to be published by June 30, 2026 — outlining near- and long-term implementation targets for incorporating AI into city systems and services. The strategy should include guidance on infrastructure, data sharing, ethics, pilot programs and performance evaluation, training and human resource needs.
F2
Governance of technology in the city is hindered because of a federated management structure across departments. Such hindrance has slowed or impaired the ability of the city to efficiently identify, pilot, test, and deploy emerging technologies.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
1 By December 31, 2025, the mayor and city administrator should adopt a plan for unifying more technology-related organizations within DT, including digital services and other technology functions under the city administrator.
F3
Procurement of technology in the city is hindered because of a federated management structure across departments. This hinders the ability to find and implement useful, scalable AI and emerging technology solutions, and presents risks to enforcing quality, standardization, privacy and interoperability.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
1 By June 30, 2026, the mayor and CIO should jointly conduct a detailed review and adopt new procurement guidelines for city department technology purchasing such that technology that meets certain criteria (cost, strategic relevance, overall risk level) should be prioritized, purchased and implemented through DT in accordance with the ICT plan, as affirmed by DT. The CIO and emerging technologies director should have the ability to definitively reject purchases deemed incompatible with ICT policy or vendor strategy, and/or propose alternative purchases that are better aligned with ICT strategy. Purchase orders with vendors deemed not compatible with ICT objectives should be cancelled.
F4
The Committee on Information Technology (COIT) is comprised mostly of non-technical leaders and has insufficient authority and influence over departments’ technology plans. As a result, it is falling short of its objective to streamline ICT policy and roadmapping in San Francisco, which threatens current and emerging technology initiatives alike.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
1 By June 30, 2026, the city should enact an ordinance amending the Administrative Code to eliminate COIT and centralize a replacement advisory body under DT. This ordinance could be enacted through the customary legislative process established in the Charter. In the alternative, by December 31, 2025, the mayor and the board of supervisors should each recommend to the Commission Streamlining Task Force (established by Proposition E, November 2024) that it include COIT in an ordinance the Task Force would introduce to eliminate certain commissions.
Agency Responses 3
Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.