155 Priest. “One tiny mistake can lead to lots of back and forth conversations with permit officers, so it can take weeks or months before applications are approved. “AI-powered solutions like MyFiles expedite the process in two key ways. First, they can guide people through the application forms to ensure they’re completed correctly. Second, they can automatically check submitted applications against policies, regulations and other documents in the city’s databases to help permit officers rapidly finalise approvals. This significantly decreases both waiting times for applicants and the administrative burden on permit officers.” MyFiles was conceptualised and deployed within just eight weeks, which Priest claims is a good indicator of how quickly generative AI-powered solutions are “fundamentally changing” public service delivery and the way cities operate. “Governments are embedding AI across every department to optimise processes, automate administrative tasks and analyse vast volumes of data so they can make data-driven decisions that will transform the citizen experience,” he explains. “Generative AI enables them to enhance their current services and deliver them at a much wider scale than ever before. More importantly, it’s also allowing them to implement innovative services and solutions that were previously impossible to develop due to a lack of data insights, skills, knowledge or money.” To captialise on the potential of generative AI, however, it is “tremendously important” for city leaders to start with the right technology foundation. “Data must be at the core of any smart city initiative,” says Priest. “Cities should modernise their data estates and move towards unified platforms and governance. A solution like Microsoft Fabric can combine data from both their own and external sources, while Copilot can make it more accessible and usable in employees’ day-to-day workflows.” Cities should also migrate to the cloud, advises Priest. “This will ensure they have sufficient computational power to maximise the use of technologies like generative AI,” he explains. “It’s crucial to roll out strong cybersecurity and data stewardship policies too.” Once cities have a solid technology foundation in place, they can integrate specialised solutions developed by Microsoft partners to solve specific challenges. “Cities might start simple by rolling out virtual assistants with the help of Microsoft partners like Bravent, or they may deploy sophisticated modelling solutions from Scenexus to optimise urban planning,” says Priest. “Alternatively, cities looking to improve safety may use Esri’s geographic information systems and geospatial digital twins, while those aiming to upgrade transport management could implement solutions from Parsons Corporation, or cut congestion with real-time and historical traffic data from TomTom.” One city that has benefitted from centralising all government services in one unified platform PUBLIC SECTOR Photo: iStock/Alexis Gonzalez Residents of Stavanger Kommune in Norway are encouraged to report issues and share suggestions for improving the urban environment via an AI app
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