Atlanta to explore AI potential with new commission
05 December 2024
by Jonathan Andrews
Atlanta City Council has approved a plan to look into how AI could impact or enhance city government.
The legislative body passed the decision unanimously. The city will establish an AI Commission to explore the benefits, opportunities and challenges of AI for city government use and other purposes and will report back with its findings in early 2026.
Leading cities
Atlanta is one of many cities that is actively engaging with AI through dedicated commissions, policies, or experimental programmes.
San Jose was instrumental in launching the GovAI Coalition which now includes over 300 agencies, including cities and counties, across the US. Challenges such as procurement, how to set up privacy policies, how to properly evaluate vendors for cybersecurity risk, and the right questions to ask, are discussed among city peers.
“We’re seeing incredible entrepreneurship and innovation happening outside of government,” said Matt Mahan, Mayor of San Jose said during a What Works City webinar held earlier this year. “City Hall is very motivated to bring that same spirit of innovation to government because I actually think the public sector has the most to gain from embracing these technologies.”
Other cities that are taking a lead include New York, Boston and Singapore.
- New York has implemented an AI Action Plan focusing on responsible AI governance across city agencies. It involves stakeholder engagement and emphasises mitigating risks while leveraging AI for public services like transport and public safety
- Boston’s AI initiatives include creating guidelines for responsible AI use, like ensuring transparency and accuracy in applications such as automated translation and chatbot services. The city also encourages safe spaces for experimentation.
- Known for its Smart Nation initiative, Singapore integrates AI into city governance, focusing on ethical AI deployment for urban planning and citizen engagement.
Latest reports
The potential for AI use in city government includes public safety, transport and traffic management, efficiency, sustainability, urban planning, health, and transparency and citizen engagement.
In November the US-based National League of Cities (NLC), in collaboration with Google, highlighted how cities across the US are using artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance services and address local challenges but also advised caution.
“Technology has always been an essential tool to help local governments respond to the changing needs of their residents,” said Clarence Anthony, CEO and Executive Director, National League of Cities. “Our Artificial Intelligence report is a collection of both the potential pitfalls and the overwhelming opportunities that exist for our local communities with AI.”
Image: Natalia Bratslavsky | Dreamstime.com
