Will County Targets May Draft for Comprehensive Artificial Intelligence Policy

Capital Improvements & IT Committee Meeting | March 2026

Article Summary:
Will County is moving closer to adopting a formal Artificial Intelligence policy, with IT staff planning to deliver a comprehensive draft by May to establish guardrails for the technology’s use by county employees.

AI Policy Report Key Points:

• A “redline” draft of AI directives establishes that AI tools will not be used to replace county employees or eliminate jobs.

• The policy will mandate an inventory of permitted AI platforms and prohibit the use of unauthorized AI software on the county network.

• A county-wide survey assessing current AI usage among staff will be completed by April.

• Oversight will be shared collaboratively by IT directors from the County, Health Department, Sheriff’s Office, and the Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB).

As local governments grapple with the rapid proliferation of generative technology, the Will County Capital Improvements and IT Committee reviewed foundational directives that will shape the county’s official Artificial Intelligence policy.

Jason Donisch from the county’s IT department presented a redline version of the proposed directives, which were synthesized from committee feedback over the past several months.

“I always say imitation is the highest form of flattery. Find one that is close to the style of the policy that we like, put that together, put these points in there, and then submit that to the committee,” Donisch told the board, outlining a timeline that aims for a rough draft in May and potential committee approval by June.

According to the agenda packet, the core directives heavily emphasize human oversight and job security. The drafted framework explicitly states under Human Resources guidelines: “AI Software Must Not Replace Employees; AI Tools May Not Be Used to Eliminate or Replace County Employee Positions.”

Furthermore, the policy mandates that only AI software formally reviewed and approved by the county’s designated IT authority may be used, and that all data entered into AI systems must comply with existing data privacy and confidentiality rules.

Member Daniel J. Butler shared research from the National Association of Counties (NACo) “AI County Compass” toolkit, highlighting the severe cybersecurity risks of utilizing open-source AI models without proper authorization.

“A lot of the different counties that have turned to AI aren’t necessarily allowing their people to use ChatGPT,” Butler warned. “Because when you use ChatGPT, everything on your hard drive just became available to the AI throughout the net. It’s a huge risk and it’s super important to have somebody who understands exactly everything that’s entailed.”

To manage the ongoing evolution of the technology, Member Mark V. Revis suggested forming a dedicated AI subcommittee. However, Member Steve Balich countered that creating a new layer of bureaucracy was unnecessary.

“Once we create the policy, it should go into effect the way we create it,” Balich said. “And then when you get a gray area, that’s when we need to be notified and say, ‘Hey, let’s talk about it.’ We’re better off to let them do their thing and tell us… what doesn’t match the policy correctly.”

Donisch agreed that IT leadership—a collaborative group involving himself, the Health Department’s IT director, the Sheriff’s Office IT lead, and the ETSB—would handle the day-to-day enforcement and bring any “gray areas” or necessary policy adaptations to the Capital Improvements committee at least quarterly.

In the meantime, the county is launching a survey to determine how staff members are currently utilizing AI in their daily workflows, with results expected back by the committee’s April meeting.