Government leaders face the challenge of navigating the complexities of public service while addressing the pressing need for efficiency, innovation, and responsiveness. AI holds immense potential to reshape how governments operate, plan, and deliver services. AI is similar to having a digital assistant to help automate processes and generate content – when used responsibly.
To address this, SEMCOG hosted a SEMU webinar titled, “Demystifying AI – Tools, Role Planning, and Practical Implementation for Government & Education Leaders.” The focus of the webinar was bridging the knowledge gap in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for local leaders; empowering them to make informed decisions on AI adoption, improve operational efficiency, and support teams with practical AI solutions. With over 150 members registering, this was clearly a topic of keen interest.
The webinar included a presentation by Nilda Thomas, MBA, Certified AI & EdTech Consultant, and SEMCOG staff members. Nilda Thomas’s contact information for follow up questions is included in the presentation linked above.
The session covered three main topic areas:
- AI Tools: types of AI technologies available and their applications in public service.
- AI’s insights for Role Planning: how data-driven insights can enhance decision-making and resource allocation.
- Practical Implementation: real-world examples and strategies to integrate AI into government and education processes effectively and responsibly…and of course ethically.
Some key insights from the session:
- Training – important to train your teams on AI tools and how to use them effectively
- Assessment – as with any project, should start with a self-assessment, identifying your goals and engagement of stakeholders
- Design – develop a customized AI solution for the selected project
- Implementation – deploy AI tools and train staff on usage
- Evaluation – measure impact and refine for a broader roll out
Examples of applications for AI Pilot Projects included:
- Workflow analysis – identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in current processes
- Automated meeting minutes – AI transcribes and summarizes council/board meetings, improving efficiency.
- Citizen query chatbots – answer common constituent questions, reducing call center load and can be multi-lingual to increase accessibility!
- Grant writing and reporting – enhance proposal language for impact and incorporate relevant data
- School resource optimization – analyze data to optimize staff, classroom, and budget allocation in schools
Recommended Best Practices for AI Implementation:
- Develop AI policy – with guidelines and standards
- Verify information – double check AI generated content for accuracy and completeness
- Ethical standards – be transparent about AI use
- Human element – use AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, human experience and decision-making
- Continuous Training – regularly update AI training data to reflect organizational changes and new information
It is also important to take measures to protect the security and privacy of your organization and its data and systems. An issue to also be aware of is that AI tools may utilize other people’s work without properly citing or obtaining express permission. But, overall, AI offers innovative approaches for optimizing service delivery by creating solutions tailored to your needs.
Is your community implementing AI in day-to-day operations? If so, we’d like to know what you’re doing with the technology, or what you have planned!
Locals Lead
This webinar was hosted as part of SEMCOG’s Locals Lead Initiative, which showcases the vital role that local leaders have in adopting innovative and collaborative approaches that foster resilient, vibrant communities. The Locals Lead Initiative offers practical training on successfully dealing with challenging issues – such as effective use of Artificial Intelligence – by underscoring the value of collaboration, partnerships, and civility in local government.
As government leaders, you face the challenge of navigating the complexities of public service while addressing the pressing need for efficiency, innovation, and responsiveness. AI holds immense potential to reshape how governments operate, plan, and deliver services.
Recaps of this and past events, and other Locals Lead stories are available on the Locals Lead Webpage.
We’re always interested to know if there are topics for webinars like this that you think would be of interest to local governments and our education partners. So, if you have specific questions about local government finance or operational issues, or if there is a challenge your community is facing that you think others may be experiencing as well….let us know!
Finally, if you have a best practice to share from your community or organization, we’d love to feature that in a webinar or elsewhere.
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