Empowering Communities: How AI Can Enhance Local Government Services

By: David Ledbetter, Senior Manager at BerryDunn

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for research labs or tech giants in Silicon Valley. Today, AI is becoming a practical and powerful tool for local governments across the country—helping to boost efficiency, reduce costs, and elevate the quality of public services.

When people think of technology in local government, they often picture modest upgrades: digital kiosks at city hall, online form submissions, or automated customer service portals. While these improvements are helpful, they only scratch the surface of what’s possible. They’re incremental steps in a world that increasingly demands bold, transformative change.

Traditionally, local government hasn’t been seen as a pioneer of innovation—and that’s okay. But the landscape is shifting. Rising service demands, workforce shortages, and their expectations of the workplace, and tight budgets require new and innovative ways of doing business. While it’s natural to feel uncertain about AI, avoiding it will put your organization at a disadvantage.

The real question isn’t if local governments should engage with AI—it’s how to do it thoughtfully and strategically. Embracing AI doesn’t mean replacing people; it means empowering them. In fact, as technology becomes more integrated into our daily work, human creativity, critical thinking, and leadership are more important than ever. How does AI translate to the public sector?

AI can support local governments in tackling complex, everyday challenges. For example:

• Revenue forecasting: AI-powered tools can help municipalities navigate economic uncertainty by identifying trends and improving budget accuracy.
• Workforce planning: AI systems can optimize staffing levels to match service demands, helping reduce unnecessary costs while maintaining service quality.
• Infrastructure maintenance: Public Works departments can use AI to analyze road usage and wear patterns, enabling proactive maintenance and smarter resource allocation.

AI excels at analyzing data and surfacing insights—but it can’t set a vision or lead change. That’s the role of human leadership. Now more than ever, local governments need to think creatively and act strategically. Delaying key initiatives—like modernizing outdated systems or developing a long-term strategic plan—due to short-term budget concerns can hold communities back. Failing to plan is increasingly becoming more costly than taking action. Holding off on AI until you feel completely comfortable with it is not a viable strategy; forward-thinking municipalities are already realizing its benefits.

By embracing innovation and focusing on the future, local governments can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities. The needs of your constituents are evolving, and so too must the capabilities of the governments that serve them. AI is not a replacement for real people doing real work—it’s a tool to help them do that work even better.