San Jose, California, is leading the charge in adopting artificial intelligence (AI) technology to boost government efficiency. The city’s mayor, Matt Mahan, aims to train 1,000 workers by next year using AI tools for various tasks such as pothole complaint response and bus routing.
Mahan believes that AI can eliminate drudge work, freeing up employees to focus on more complex issues. He cites examples of how AI helped secure a $12 million grant for electric vehicle chargers in San Jose’s transportation department.
The city has spent over $35,000 on ChatGPT licenses for its 7,000 government workers. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has also announced plans to give nearly 30,000 city workers access to Microsoft’s Copilot chatbot, with robust privacy and bias safeguards in place.
However, critics note that AI adoption can lead to problems, such as hallucinations spewing false information. Fresno, California, even had a school official resign after trusting an AI chatbot that fabricated information in a document.
Despite these concerns, Mahan remains optimistic about the potential of AI tools to enhance government efficiency. He emphasizes the need for human oversight and independent verification when using AI-generated content.
As the tech industry continues to develop “agentic AI” projects, San Jose’s mayor is at the forefront of promoting AI adoption in government. With its pilot projects showing promise, the city is poised to revolutionize its bureaucracy with the help of AI.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/ai-at-work-san-jose-mayor-matt-mahan-chatgpt-8afd14818c3213953c68fc0abae418e9