Winnipeg, MB – The City of Winnipeg will be moving forward with six innovative pilot projects to improve customer service through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
These projects include:
- An automated chat agent for 311 inquiries
- An automated voice agent for Winnipeg Police Service non-emergency calls
- An automated development plan evaluation tool for permits
- Road condition monitoring through cameras mounted on City vehicles
- Voice sentiment analysis
- Automation of invoice processing
“At the State of the City Address in February, I issued a challenge to our Public Service to deliver a pitch by July 1 to use AI to improve customer service, and they delivered in a big way,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “These pilot projects have the potential to enhance service delivery and help staff do their jobs more efficiently, so I’m excited to see them launch in the coming months.”
Over the coming months, details on each of these pilot projects will be finalized including launch dates. Each pilot project will proceed through planning, procurement, analysis, implementation, deployment, and closing phases. A project may be changed or cancelled at any of these phases as the City learns about the benefits, costs, risks, and implications of a particular solution and adjusts.
“We are always looking for ways to positively improve the delivery of City services and are looking forward to launch these pilot projects,” said Tyler Gooch, Director of Innovation and Technology. “We know AI isn’t perfect, and we will be closely monitoring these projects to see if the benefits continue to outweigh the risks, and if the pilot projects meet the intended goals.”
The cost of each pilot project will not exceed $75,000 and will use existing contracts where available.
Once the pilot projects wrap-up, fully costed business cases will be forwarded to the annual budget process.