Luzerne County officially launched “NextGen Luzerne County,” which it describes as a groundbreaking pilot program designed to explore how artificial intelligence can responsibly enhance the efficiency, transparency and delivery of public services.
Introduced Tuesday at the county operations center, the initiative is led by Vito DeLuca, the county’s first assistant solicitor and Pennsylvania’s first county-level chief artificial intelligence officer, a Tuesday announcement said.
Appointed by County Manager Romilda Crocomo in January, DeLuca was tasked with designing a pilot that introduces county employees to both generative and traditional forms of AI focused on real-world applications and ethical use.
Departments will be encouraged to identify areas where AI and automation could reduce manual tasks and unlock new operational efficiencies.
DeLuca said the program empowers employees with cutting-edge tools that can assist them but not replace employee decision-making.
“We’re not handing the wheel to machines,” DeLuca said in a Tuesday release. “We’re giving our staff a high-tech navigator — something to help steer smarter, not drive for them.”
Over the next four to six months, employees from a range of departments will participate in hands-on learning with AI-assisted drafting, summarization and analysis tools, it said.
DeLuca said he is interviewing potential platform partners to find “right fit” options that are cost effective, accurate, ethically sound, customizable and secure to protect confidential information. He plans to incorporate immediate feedback on systems instead of relying on delayed employee surveys.
Crocamo said the county wants to equip its workforce “with the tools of tomorrow today.”
“This pilot is about exploring real-world benefits, not chasing hype. By giving our teams hands-on experience with ethical AI, we’re helping them find ways to work smarter, faster and with greater focus on the people we serve.”
Success will be measured by time saved on tasks, quality of output, comfort with the tools and employee feedback — ensuring both transparency and accountability throughout, the release said.
DeLuca debuted the pilot to department heads Tuesday morning in a session that explained how AI works in simplified forms, how its already shaping everyday life and how it can support the county’s public service, the release said.
“As the program progresses, Luzerne County hopes to become a model for other local governments exploring AI—showing that innovation and ethics can go hand in hand,” the release said.
DeLuca is performing the AI duties without additional compensation. As first assistant solicitor, DeLuca provides legal counsel and also oversees the conflict counsel division that represents the indigent when public defender’s office attorneys have conflicts.
DeLuca has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from King’s College, a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of law and a master’s in business administration from Cornell University. He is pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity at the New York University Tandon School of Engineering, completed a 12-week applied data science boot camp at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Institute for Data, Systems, and Society and earned certificates in applied data science and programming through Cornell University.
His technical skills include proficiency in several programming languages, development of machine learning solutions and implementation and fine-tuning of large language models.
Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.
