Louisiana
Louisiana’s health secretary wants AI on the phones and the website
Louisiana residents may see changes in calling the state health department or using its website if it turns to artificial intelligence to save money.
The department is examining how it can implement AI over the next few years to make residents’ experiences more efficient and reduce spending, Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said at an AI symposium at LSU.
The first and largest deployment, should the department proceed with it, would be in its call centers. Running the two centers costs over $40 million a year. Greenstein said using AI to answer calls could reduce costs by up to 25%.
That would save the state $10 million a year while still preserving an option to talk to a human employee.
When the department was seeking information about an AI call option, Greenstein said, there was an overwhelming response from possible providers.
Greenstein, who has worked in both the public and private sectors, said he also is interested in using AI to help residents maneuver the department’s website. It houses information on an array of topics from SNAP benefits and Medicaid to oyster harvesting.
“Navigating our web properties becomes challenging if you’re looking for very specific information,” Greenstein said in an interview after the symposium on Friday. “So having chatbots to help people navigate our system is something we’re also considering.”
The department must respect the sensitive clinical information it deals with, Greenstein said, while keeping up with technological advances.
He said he is interested in creating protections in collaborations with health care professionals to codify patients’ rights to privacy.
Some rights would include a consent requirement if patient information was to be run through an AI database. Another would be a notification of changes, especially if a process is losing human interaction entirely.
“So on the AI side, because we’re in kind of the new frontier, what I suspect is that we’ll proceed extra cautiously where the robot takes the place of decision-making for the human,” Greenstein said. “But we’ll have more kind of slack in the system to experiment on the administrative task side.”
Greenstein critiqued other states’ restrictions on AI and said he did not see issues with Louisiana’s implementation yet.
“We are not seeing something that I’m deeply concerned about thus far,” he said. “And within state government, we’ve been taking a cautious but forceful approach forward in analyzing the opportunities but not making any decisions without having a proper amount of security concerns addressed or just thoughtful analysis.”
Gov. Jeff Landry released an executive order in October mandating governmental AI use to be “responsible, ethical, beneficial and trustworthy.”
The order restricts the state government’s use of AI platforms from “free software, especially those created and operated by nation states like the Communist Chinese Party.” He specifically named China’s DeepSeek AI model.
MONROE, La. (KNOE) – Shelby Bordelon of Iberville Parish was crowned Miss Louisiana 2026 Saturday night in Monroe, earning the title and a $15,000 scholarship. Bordelon, a graduate student at Southeastern Louisiana University, said the role is about more than pageantry, emphasizing the yearlong service mission tied to the crown.
“Part of the mission of this organization is the service behind it,” Bordelon said. “And the service is so important, you are serving your state for a year… having the opportunities to connect with others… to continue making an impact and leaving my mark on others as well.”
Bordelon, who finished first runner-up in last year’s competition, said the moment her name was called as the winner still hasn’t fully sunk in.
“It was every emotion you could think of that was running through my mind at that moment,” she said, adding she focused on preparation and perspective this year. “I really wanted to go into this year with no regrets… just really trusting in that mindset and that plan.”
Bordelon said she hopes to use her platform to raise awareness for her nonprofit, Claire’s Promise, which focuses on combating drunk driving.
You can learn more about the nonprofit here. She will now represent Louisiana at the Miss America Pageant, which begins in late August in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Copyright 2026 KNOE. All rights reserved.
The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 20, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from June 20 drawing
16-20-44-48-50, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from June 20 drawing
1-8-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from June 20 drawing
1-4-7-5
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
6-6-2-7-9
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Easy 5 numbers from June 20 drawing
01-06-18-25-33
Check Easy 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto numbers from June 20 drawing
09-13-16-17-33-41
Check Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All Louisiana Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes over $600, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at Louisiana Lottery offices. Prizes of over $5,000 must be claimed at Lottery office.
By mail, follow these instructions:
- Sign and complete the information on the back of your winning ticket, ensuring all barcodes are clearly visible (remove all scratch-off material from scratch-off tickets).
- Photocopy the front and back of the ticket (except for Powerball and Mega Millions tickets, as photocopies are not accepted for these games).
- Complete the Louisiana Lottery Prize Claim Form, including your telephone number and mailing address for prize check processing.
- Photocopy your valid driver’s license or current picture identification.
Mail all of the above in a single envelope to:
Louisiana Lottery Headquarters
555 Laurel Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
To submit in person, visit Louisiana Lottery headquarters:
555 Laurel Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70801, (225) 297-2000.
Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Louisiana Lottery.
When are the Louisiana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5: Daily at 9:59 p.m. CT.
- Easy 5: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
- Lotto: 9:59 p.m. CT Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Louisiana editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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