Winnipeg pilot projects could use AI for non-emergency police calls, permit evaluation
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New pilot projects on the way to Winnipeg could use AI to handle non-emergency police calls, 311 inquiries and road condition monitoring.
The city said in a news release it is moving forward with six pilot projects aimed at improving customer service through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
They 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 to city vehicles, voice sentiment analysis, and automation of invoice processing.
Mayor Scott Gillingham said the ideas came after he called on the city’s public service to make pitches by July 1 on how to use AI to improve customer service.
“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,” Gillingham said in a news release Friday.
Details will be finalized later this year, including launch dates, the city said.
Each project will go through planning, procurement, analysis, implementation, deployment, and closing phases.
The city notes a project may still be changed or cancelled during any of these phases.
Tyler Gooch, the city’s director of innovation, says they’re always looking at ways to improve the delivery of city services.
“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,” he said.
The cost of each project will be capped at $75,000. Existing contracts will be used where available.
Once the projects wrap up, fully costed business cases will be forwarded to the annual budget process.
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