Artificial intelligence can drastically improve how residents experience government. They receive answers and services better and more quickly, without navigating the requirements of multiple agencies. For employees, AI offers many productivity and other benefits. Yet to realize all AI possibilities, agencies must see through popular myths: The technology is not a plug-and-play option and will not replace employees, for example. And there are other challenges, such as dealing with existing technology and ensuring data and operational readiness.
In a way, the answer is simple: Understand that AI, on its own, is not a destination. It’s a capability that governments will continuously develop. That means being outcome-oriented, using trusted data, starting small then iterating, and building in governance from the beginning. And it means knowing what your human-AI collaboration should look like.
“Agencies that succeed [with AI] won’t necessarily be the ones with the biggest budgets or the newest models,” said Karthik Anbalagan, General Manager of Emerging Technologies at Granicus. “They’ll be the ones that start with real problems, prepare their organizations, and deploy AI responsibly, one meaningful outcome at a time.”
In this video interview, Anbalagan discusses how to turn AI potential into AI reality, so both residents and employees benefit. Topics include:
- How AI is helping governments improve service delivery, reduce administrative burden, and modernize resident engagement
- Why data readiness, governance, and organizational alignment often matter more than the AI model itself
- Best practices for using AI to deliver effective outcomes