Washoe County and Ethical AI
The county has begun a transformative journey to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance efficiency and improve services for our community.
By focusing on the ethical use of AI, we aim to ensure that these advancements align with our core values, protect our citizen’s data, and are created to better serve the public of Washoe County.
As part of this process, here are three active projects inside Washoe County that will leverage Generative Artificial Intelligence to serve you more efficiently:
AI Business Licensing Chatbot
The county is developing a Business Licensing Chatbot to streamline the process of issuing a business license in Washoe County.
This tool is designed to make the process more efficient, underscoring our commitment to leveraging AI to improve public services while maintaining a high standard of customer service.
Madison AI – Policy Research, Code Lookup, and Staff Reports
Washoe County is working to deploy Madison AI, a custom-developed AI assistant for staff and elected officials. Madison AI will conduct policy research, look up codes, and draft staff reports, significantly enhancing the efficiency of our governing process.
By providing quick access to relevant information and automating complex research tasks, Madison AI will enable our officials to make more informed decisions and better serve the community.
Key Features of Madison AI:
- Policy Research
- Code Lookup
- Drafting Staff Reports
AI-Powered Property Lookup for the County Assessor
The county is also developing an AI search tool for property lookup and research for the County Assessor’s Office. This initiative reflects our ongoing effort to use AI to enhance the accuracy and reliability of public records.
AI Development and Strategic Partnerships
Our approach to AI development is innovative and collaborative. We engage in internal custom AI development to address specific needs and use cases within the county. Additionally, we partner with strategy consulting experts like OnStrategy for custom development and leverage purpose-built tools such as ZenCity. These collaborations ensure we are at the forefront of AI technology, are creating and deploying these tools efficiently, and adhering to our ethical standards.
Our deployment of AI includes:
- Internal Custom AI Development
- Partnerships with AI Experts and Developers (e.g., OnStrategy)
- The Use of Purpose-Built Tools (e.g., ZenCity)
Our Commitment to Ethical AI Use
The county is dedicated to the ethical use of AI, ensuring that all AI projects are developed and implemented with the highest standards of transparency, accountability, and fairness. We recognize the potential of AI to transform public services and are committed to using this technology responsibly. The core values that help guide our AI decision-making:
INTEGRITY
We are dedicated to uncompromising honesty in our dealings with the public and each other in conformance with our code of conduct.
EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
We believe in simple, accurate, and clear communication. We encourage the open exchange of ideas and information.
QUALITY PUBLIC SERVICE
The County exists to serve the public. We center our work on citizens' needs and expectations and take pride in delivering the highest quality services.
Our Commitment to Ethical AI Use
As we continue to explore AI's potential, we are excited about the opportunities it presents to improve efficiency, enhance public services, and better serve our residents. We are committed to ongoing engagement with the community to ensure that our AI initiatives align with public values and expectations.
We look forward to sharing more updates as these projects progress and to continuing our journey toward a more efficient and effective local government.