The California Department of Technology (CDT) has officially launched Poppy, a centralized AI platform offering a suite of 10 different models tailored for state government operations. Following a pilot phase that lasted less than one year, the platform is now available to state staffers to assist with diverse tasks ranging from legal document analysis to website coding. According to Shera Mui, deputy director of CDT’s Platform Services, the project evolved from an initial effort to build a singular state chatbot into a managed, secure infrastructure that allows departments to select the most appropriate AI model for their specific needs while maintaining data protection.

The platform's security architecture allows for data consolidation, preventing the need for state agencies to manage information across multiple disparate locations. During the initial development phase, 70 departments and approximately 100 users per department provided feedback to help shape the platform's functionality. Early usage metrics indicate high demand for document summarization, policy analysis, and complex code generation. While some agencies have expressed interest in integrating image generation features, state officials emphasize that all final decisions remain under human control, with AI serving only as a supporting tool.

Practical applications are already visible at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Dr. Lucy Andrews, a scientist at the DWR, reported that AI tools have significantly increased efficiency by automating tasks that previously required weeks of manual tracking in Excel spreadsheets. Processes that formerly took weeks are now completed in one hour to 90 minutes. This improved tracking capability allows the DWR to better demonstrate how public investments translate into scientific outputs. To support future expansions, including cleaner data sets and increased inter-departmental cooperation, the CDT has requested $1 million in funding. Future development will focus on a long-term road map that ensures consistent, cohesive resource management across the state government.

The California Department of Technology (CDT) has officially launched Poppy, a centralized AI platform offering a suite of 10 different models tailored for state government operations. Following a pilot phase that lasted less than one year, the platform is now available to state staffers to assist with diverse tasks ranging from legal document analysis to website coding. According to Shera Mui, deputy director of CDT’s Platform Services, the project evolved from an initial effort to build a singular state chatbot into a managed, secure infrastructure that allows departments to select the most appropriate AI model for their specific needs while maintaining data protection.

The platform's security architecture allows for data consolidation, preventing the need for state agencies to manage information across multiple disparate locations. During the initial development phase, 70 departments and approximately 100 users per department provided feedback to help shape the platform's functionality. Early usage metrics indicate high demand for document summarization, policy analysis, and complex code generation. While some agencies have expressed interest in integrating image generation features, state officials emphasize that all final decisions remain under human control, with AI serving only as a supporting tool.

Practical applications are already visible at the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). Dr. Lucy Andrews, a scientist at the DWR, reported that AI tools have significantly increased efficiency by automating tasks that previously required weeks of manual tracking in Excel spreadsheets. Processes that formerly took weeks are now completed in one hour to 90 minutes. This improved tracking capability allows the DWR to better demonstrate how public investments translate into scientific outputs. To support future expansions, including cleaner data sets and increased inter-departmental cooperation, the CDT has requested $1 million in funding. Future development will focus on a long-term road map that ensures consistent, cohesive resource management across the state government.