NASCIO 2025: Q&A: Colorado CIO David Edinger Strives for the Right Mix of Solutions

STATETECH: You’ve been serving as Colorado’s state CIO for nearly two years. Looking back, what accomplishments stand out most for you?

EDINGER: I’d highlight a few areas. First, our work around artificial intelligence. We’ve been focused on enabling innovation while maintaining responsible oversight — what Gov. Polis calls being “bullish with guardrails.” We’re experimenting with AI in ways that allow us to learn and adapt without putting data privacy or security at risk.

We haven’t had a single breakthrough moment where AI completely transformed operations, but we’ve seen steady progress through incremental improvements. From an operational standpoint, that kind of continuous improvement is powerful.

Another significant area is broadband. Our goal is to reach 99% of Colorado households with high-speed internet by the end of 2027. Right now, about 121,000 households remain unconnected. Our target for this stage was 94.8% coverage, and we’ve surpassed it: We’re at 95.8%. For rural households, where most of the gaps remain, we aimed for 70% coverage and hit 77.7%.

A lot of this success has been fueled by federal funding. Colorado will receive about $825 million from the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program, which is a game changer. However, a recent policy directive from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration requires states to make significant adjustments to their BEAD programs. For us, that means re-awarding grants based on new criteria. It adds complexity and creates some uncertainty about how we’ll hit our connectivity targets.

I’m also proud of our accessibility work. We’ve partnered with Aira, a visual interpreter app that supports people who are blind or have low vision. We’re piloting an ASL-on-demand service for deaf and hard-of-hearing Coloradans. These tools serve niche communities, but they have a huge impact on quality of life. Accessibility is one of our top five priorities at OIT, and we’ve made meaningful progress.

We’ve also rolled out new technology accessibility rules, effective June 30, 2025. Our goal was to hold public entities accountable while giving them enough flexibility to avoid operational disruptions. We’ve received positive feedback from both business and disability communities, which tells me we struck the right balance.

And then there’s the myColorado app. We’ve hit 1.7 million users, which is really good in a state of about 6 million people. The app offers state digital IDs, hunting and fishing licenses, vaccine records and more. One recent breakthrough was integrating a mobile driver’s license reader directly into the app. We realized small businesses wouldn’t invest in expensive stand-alone readers, so now anyone with a smartphone can scan and verify a mobile license. It’s a great example of removing adoption barriers through smart technology choices.

STATETECH: Let’s talk more about AI. Can you tell us about the Google Gemini statewide pilot program and what you learned from it?

EDINGER: The Gemini pilot is something I’m really proud of. Our approach has been to move quickly and foster innovation, but always with guardrails in place to protect sensitive data. We piloted Gemini with over 150 users from across different agencies. Because of our emphasis on accessibility, we made sure to include employees with disabilities, and that proved to be one of the most valuable decisions we made.

One participant with vision impairment shared how Gemini transformed her work life. She talked about how hard it is to follow a meeting where people are chatting, showing slides and speaking all at once. With Gemini, she could make sense of that information in real time — something she’d never been able to do before. Hearing stories like that validated why we need inclusive pilot programs.

After the pilot, we expanded Gemini access across 18 state agencies. We now have about 2,000 users out of roughly 31,000 eligible employees. Adoption is growing steadily, but we’ve been deliberate about how we roll it out. Employees request access, managers approve it, and users complete responsible AI use training before they get started.

We don’t expect every state employee will use Gemini; it depends on their role. For example, many of our developers want different AI tools, so they don’t request Gemini. But we anticipate adoption could eventually reach about 50% of our workforce.

As for how people use it, that’s all over the map. We’ve seen uses for chatbots, summarizing documents, drafting policies, improving accessibility, transcribing meetings and automating tasks in spreadsheets. The feedback shows there’s no one-size-fits-all AI use case, and that’s exciting.

STATETECH: What else would you say about your AI strategy overall?

EDINGER: We’ve built a structured intake process for AI projects, guided by the National Institute for Standards and Technology AI Risk Management framework. We classify proposals into three categories: medium, high or prohibited risk. Out of 159 intake requests so far, most fall into the medium category and are approved. For high-risk projects — there have been 29 — we do a thorough evaluation. We’ve approved 27 of those, often after some adjustments. Only two have been rejected outright because the risks outweighed the benefits, usually around how data would be shared with vendors.

This framework lets us support innovation without compromising safety or trust.

STAY INFORMED: Follow out NASCIO 2025 coverage for the latest SLG insights.

STATETECH: Let’s shift to the Colorado Digital Government Strategic Plan. Are initiatives like unified digital ID, user-centered design and reimagining colorado.gov among your top priorities?

EDINGER: Absolutely. Two of Gov. Polis’s five key operational priorities are directly related to improving digital government services. We’re focused on delivering a high-quality customer experience, and by doing so, reducing the burden on call centers and in-person services.

We want to make it easier for people to complete transactions online, which in turn reduces hold times and improves service quality across the board. The Colorado Digital Service leads this work, in partnership with the Statewide Internet Portal Authority, which manages the state’s websites.

Our approach is grounded in product management, user-centered design and analytics. We involve Colorado Digital Service experts in helping agencies create better user experiences. It’s a strategy we used successfully in Denver. When people can renew licenses online, you see shorter lines, happier customers and better service delivery. We’re applying those same lessons at the state level.

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STATETECH: What milestones or new initiatives on the horizon for Colorado?

EDINGER: On the broadband front, navigating the rebidding process for BEAD funds is a big focus. How we adapt to new federal guidelines will shape our ability to stay on track.

In accessibility, we’re launching in-person demos of the Lived Experiences Library. It’s a way for state employees to build empathy for customers with disabilities and understand how to better serve them. This work isn’t driven by market pressures; it’s about doing the right thing for our communities.

Another big initiative is Colorado’s sesquicentennial — the 150th anniversary of statehood, coinciding with the nation’s 250th anniversary. The state is rolling out the Colorado Digital Passport, which will offer residents exclusive discounts, challenges and gamified experiences. It will soft-launch this summer across all 64 counties and will be accessible via the myColorado app.

The state is also planning a series of drone shows, called “Stories in the Sky,” under an initiative called Colorado Heritage for All. The Governor has issued an executive order and formed a commission to make 2026 a yearlong statewide celebration. We’re using technology, including the Digital Passport, to make it something truly special.

LOOK BACK: State CIOs discussed their 2025 priorities during NASCIO 2024.

STATETECH: Colorado is hosting the annual conference of the National Association of State CIOs in October. What are you hoping attendees will take away from this year’s conference?

EDINGER: I’d like to use NASCIO as a platform to showcase what makes Colorado unique — whether that’s our operational strategies, our accessibility work or our approach to digital government. It’s a chance to not only highlight our successes but also engage other states and the vendor community in meaningful discussions.

For example, accessibility is a big focus for us. I’d love for Colorado, as the host state, to spark conversations about best practices, breakthrough innovations and where we’re seeing real progress.

I also value the connections I’ve made at NASCIO. I always learn a lot from my peers, like the ongoing conversations I have with Alan Fuller in Utah about mobile driver’s licenses. These exchanges help us refine our strategies and bring new ideas back home.

Ultimately, I see NASCIO as an opportunity for Colorado to both share and learn; to say, “Here’s who we are, here’s what we’ve built. How does this compare to what you’re seeing in your state?” That’s how we all move forward.