The claim is directly sourced from an analysis shared with Axios. While the web search results confirm the general topic (AI use in states, pilots, and scaling challenges), none of the independent sources corroborate the specific finding or the source (Code for America/Axios).

The specific list of leading states (Utah, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Texas, and Vermont) is cited exclusively in one web search result, suggesting it comes from a single report. No other independent sources corroborate this specific ranking or list.

The concept that U.S. states have varying levels of AI-readiness is discussed in the context of various reports (e.g., Oxford Insights, NASCIO), but the claim attributes a specific conclusion to 'The report' without naming it, and the web results do not provide enough independent confirmation of this specific conclusion.

The specific list of 'earliest' states (West Virginia, Wyoming, Nebraska, Alaska, Florida, and Kansas) is cited exclusively in one web search result. No other independent sources corroborate this specific ranking or list.

The detailed list of assessment criteria (leadership, training capacity, infrastructure, pilot experimentation, operational embedding, and measurable impact) is cited exclusively in one web search result. No other independent sources corroborate this specific set of criteria.

The specific examples of AI use (conducting research, automating workflows, detecting fraud, and deploying consumer-facing chatbots) are presented as examples in the context of the original article. While the web search results confirm that states are using AI for various purposes, they do not independently corroborate this specific list of four examples.