Report: Mayors are interested in generative AI, but adoption rates remain low

There’s been a lot of focus in recent months on artificial intelligence (AI) and its many possible applications, from self-driving cars to manufacturing efficiencies. City administrators are likewise exploring the ways AI can improve the quality of life and safety of their constituents, and the effectiveness of public services.

New research from Bloomberg Philanthropies in partnership with the Centre for Public Impact quantifies the scope of interest in AI among public administrators.

“Generative AI promises to revolutionize the way cities work and, with strategic implementation, has the potential to vastly improve local governments’ efficiency, its capacity to innovate, and, most importantly, its efforts to improve residents’ lives,” reads the introduction to the report, “State of Cities: Generative AI in Local Governments,” which was published last month. In a survey included in the report, 96 percent of city staff members from around the globe expressed interest in using generative AI. Of the 80 mayors who participated in the survey, 78% said they’re interested or extremely interested in its use.

Their most pressing questions centered around implementation, AI’s impact on city services and efficiency, and its ethical, legal, and social considerations. They also wanted to know more about workforce transformation and the impact on jobs.

Extrapolating from the report’s findings, the adaptation of generative AI—artificial intelligence that’s driven by machine learning algorithms and able to generate new data based on inputted training—could dramatically increase in usage in coming years.

According to a statement from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the implications of generative artificial intelligence include predicting trends, helping cities improve emergency responses, mitigating severe weather events, and targeting resources for infrastructure enhancements, among other things.

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