Robin Denton, director of local government, Microsoft UK sets out what you need to know if you are considering integrating AI into your council.

In the ever-evolving world of technology, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a ubiquitous buzzword across many physical and virtual offices. The excitement and appetite within local government are palpably strong, with many authorities across the UK working to identify and implement road maps for an AI-powered future. Often, as with most industries, local authorities are trying to juggle identification and rapid implementation at the same time in efforts to benefit from the supercharged efficiency and agility AI promises as soon as possible.

The questions I’ve been asked most in the past few months from local authority leaders all relate to how best to reap the benefit of AI: Where do we start? Which AI tools do we need? What can we use it for? How do we set up the right policies for AI? How do we implement AI in a way which is safe and secure?

However, for those who are just starting their AI journey or aren’t quite sure where to start, understanding the nuances of different AI types and their use cases is a crucial first step.

Let’s start with the term ‘AI’ itself. Before the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) and generative AI, the groundbreaking AI solutions of recent decades, known as ‘Traditional AI’ or ‘Machine Learning’, paved the way. Notably, ‘Deep Learning’, which uses multiple layers of artificial neural networks, has driven significant advancements in image recognition, natural language processing, speech synthesis, and generative modelling.

Traditional AI currently underpins most of the use cases for AI in local government, which are chiefly to deliver automation. Automated chatbots are being used broadly to assist in internal HR processes and engage with residents for Q&A and simple issue resolution. Traditional AI is also being used to support image recognition to identify and address crucial local concerns, such as fly-tipping, graffiti, and potholes. CCTV providers can also enhance safety solutions to identify risks and locate vulnerable individuals in crowds.

We’ve also seen many local councils using AI models to develop Digital Twins of cities that are being built – allowing them to derive predictive insights for things like urban modelling, the strength of flood defences, utility forecasting and more – all in a cost-effective manner.

Over the last year or so, however, various LLMs which are accessible via conversational and generative AI-powered chatbots, have been hitting the headlines. These are AI tools which take ‘natural language’ instructions – whether that’s your request for it to summarise the key discussion points on a call, answer questions based on council data, or even quickly create new, bespoke applications or workflows.

Understandably, these tools have captured the attention of businesses across all sectors, with promises of greater efficiency and transformative potential to reshape the world of work as we know it. Beyond the headlines, LLMs present a real opportunity for local authorities to supercharge the way they not only use technology, but also the amount of work or solutions they can deliver.

To this end, the most common use case in the workplace is to supercharge administrative efficiency. For example, when generative AI is integrated into your email inbox, a simple instruction like ‘What emails have I missed this morning’ can efficiently sort through inboxes and share an organised list with highlighted action points.

LLMs can also fuel the adoption of low-code solutions in councils, enabling local authorities to develop their own software by using natural language alone. We are seeing many early adopters using generative AI to speed up the process of form and application creation, drastically reducing development time. We’re also seeing lots of excitement from local councils who are keen to start leveraging generative AI-powered low-code platforms to rapidly cut their application request backlog.

As we navigate the dynamic landscape of AI in local government, the opportunities for transformation are boundless. Regardless of how your local authority may choose to implement AI, the critical truth and starting point is to ensure privacy and compliance are top-of-mind. Local authorities will then have an unprecedented opportunity to pave the way for a more efficient, personalised, and automated future.