Discussions about government use of artificial intelligence often begin with a simple question: "Is this tool going to help the taxpayer that is funding it, or is it just another fad?” Municipalities across the Treasure Valley in Idaho are already experimenting with AI in small, practical ways, whether it is admin efficiency, search tool utilization or for Garden City “googly eyes” experiments.

The main question we are all wondering is, can these AI tools save government employees time? There are early indications that it will work if combined with common-sense guardrails, human review and transparency. It is exciting to see city staff across the state embracing AI resources to move the needle for efficiency and innovation to better utilize taxpayer money.

See Full Page