Local governments are still exploring how to implement AI and do it safely, examining strategies ranging from collaboration with other local governments to re-evaluating their organizational structures.
The AI County Compass is specifically targeted to counties, but offers all local governments information about risk and opportunities related to generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), and a framework for implementation.
“Regardless of the level of government, the benefits, challenges, opportunities, as well as the recommendations in the four areas of policy, applications, ethics and workforce apply across all domains,” Rita Reynolds, NACo CIO, said via email.
The toolkit, which was unveiled in early July, comes out of analysis by NACo’s AI Exploratory Committee, which was announced last year and co-chaired by Travis County, Texas, Judge Andy Brown and Palm Beach County, Fla., Commissioner Gregg Weiss.
As directed, the committee focused on four primary topics in AI: enabling responsible applications, promoting policy models, establishing an ethical framework and preparing the workforce. The committee offered broader guiding principles, and its four working groups focused on each of these topics also offered key recommendations for governments to consider when strategizing for GenAI implementation.
The toolkit also offers more rudimentary information, such as the technical and layman’s definitions of AI alongside those for GenAI — but the toolkit’s primary focus is GenAI.
NACo will hold quarterly virtual focus group meetings with committee members and toolkit users. Focus groups will collect and assess feedback at the meetings, and update the toolkit as needed.
“The toolkit is not just a point in time, but it is a living and breathing resource for local government,” Reynolds said.
The toolkit outlines some of the key benefits of GenAI — enhanced productivity, cost savings, improved service delivery, its ability to synthesize data to generate new ideas. It also cites some of GenAI’s challenges — ensuring governance, compliance and accountability, security and privacy; addressing copyright issues, validating for accuracy, preventing bias and ethical issues, managing change and trust; and training staff.
Created with input from NACo members, who were surveyed by the committee and Deloitte from late 2023 to spring 2024, the toolkit includes public-sector insight on how GenAI is being used. For example, more than 75 percent of county officials and staff surveyed reported using GenAI tools, both at work and away from it. Also notably, in both their work and personal lives, respondents cited ChatGPT as their most-used tool.
The toolkit also offers specific opportunities for counties that take advantage of GenAI technology. Counties, for example, can enhance their social services by helping constituents get access to resources — and measure their impact. Another use case suggests locals use forecasting to direct resources to those constituents with the greatest needs.
The County Compass offers eight tangible “next steps” for local governments to consider in moving forward. These include surveying departments to assess current AI and GenAI use, developing a GenAI policy and standards, and making online, educational resources available to members of the government workforce.
Looking ahead, the toolkit advises local governments to focus on the way AI will interact with, and potentially speed the advancement and adoption of, other technologies. From augmented reality to robotics, the toolkit suggests emerging technologies may develop more rapidly as a result of AI. And, its writers argue, digital literacy will be a key part of counties’ ability to effectively use AI.
“We close by mentioning the ideas waiting around the corner because these potential uses highlight the diverse [role] GenAI could play in county operations — a role we lay the groundwork for today,” the authors said.
