The Rise of AI in Local Government: What It Means for Your Team

Over the last year, artificial intelligence has moved from a future concept, to a real, useful tool - and local governments have started to take notice. 

From small municipalities to large cities, AI is quietly showing up in everyday workflows: answering questions, organizing information, and helping departments stretch their capacity without increasing their staff. And its presence is only accelerating: according to the Center for Digital Government, over 66% of local agencies say they're either actively exploring or already implementing AI solutions.

We want to take a deep dive into how AI is being used in the field, what departments are doing to adopt it responsibly, and how Acta is building AI with planning and zoning teams in mind.

Where AI Is Already Making an Impact

While AI in the public sector is still emerging, local governments are beginning to use AI in surprisingly practical ways, not just limited to big-city budgets. 

To optimize service delivery automation, some cities are using AI-powered chatbots to help residents navigate permitting requirements, apply for licenses, or access forms. These tools are especially helpful after hours or during peak times, when staff can’t keep up with the volume.

Document summarization has become another popular use case. Several municipalities are using generative AI to pull key insights from long PDFs, such as zoning ordinances or meeting minutes, to help staff get up to speed quickly without having to search line by line.

Some local governments are also using AI to draft staff emails and council summaries, cutting down on time-consuming communication. In lower-bandwidth environments, it’s even being used to generate automated response templates for frequently asked public questions.

1. Resident self-service with chatbots
   Some cities use AI-powered chatbots to guide residents through permitting requirements, license applications, or form submissions. These tools can provide help after hours or during peak times, easing pressure on staff.
   
   
2. Faster document summarization
   Generative AI can pull key insights from long PDFs  like zoning ordinances or meeting minutes — so staff don’t have to comb through them line by line.
   
   
3. Drafting routine communications
   AI is helping write staff emails, council summaries, and even templates for frequently asked public questions. In bandwidth-strapped environments, this can mean hours saved each week.

While none of this replaces human work, it absolutely makes the work faster, more efficient, and less mentally draining.

What to Watch Out For

Of course, AI isn’t perfect. Local governments handle sensitive data, serve diverse populations, and are held to high standards of equity and accountability. With AI incorporated into processes, the stakes are different than with traditional software.

Some of the most commonly cited risks include:

• Transparency: Residents and staff want to know when AI is involved, and what it’s doing.
  
  
• Unintended bias: If AI tools are trained on limited or outdated data, they may give inaccurate or inequitable responses.
  
  
• Oversight: Even smart tools can make mistakes. Without human review, incorrect answers can cause more confusion than they solve.

How Departments Are Adopting AI Responsibly

The most effective use cases we’ve seen have something in common: they support staff, not replace them.

Cities and counties are beginning with narrow, low-risk applications, like helping residents find the right policy language or answering straightforward FAQ-style questions. These tools are most effective when they’re paired with good data, clear documentation, and regular oversight from staff.

Many departments are also creating systems that keep humans in-the-loop, where AI drafts a response or provides a suggestion, but a trained staff member reviews and sends the final version. It’s faster, but still accurate.

What We’re Working On: Ask Acta

We’ve been paying close attention to these trends and listening closely to the needs our planner and permit teams have expressed.

That’s why we’re building the Ask Acta, a new AI-powered assistant for local government departments, specially designed to handle the kind of questions that aren’t always clear-cut.

With Insight Planner, staff will be able to:

• Ask zoning questions conversationally
• Get clear, code-cited responses
• Save time on research while keeping public communication accurate and aligned
  

We’ve built it with the complexity of planning in mind, even implementing precautionary measures in our AI systems to only give an answer when it is 100% clear, accurate, and proven with attached documents.

AI isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about giving your staff the tools to focus on the work that really matters. Whether it’s zoning, permits, policy updates, or everyday communication, local government teams deserve support that matches their pace and complexity.