According to Ram Tyagi, CIO for Aurora, Ill., it’s proof the city is charting a course rooted in a more deliberate use of data.
“In the last 10 months, I was able to save around $6.75 million for Mayor [John] Laesch by having data-driven insights and by bringing more efficiency through strategic vendor discussions and negotiations,” Tyagi said.
Rather than scaling back services, the city focused on tightening operations. The strategy, per Tyagi, is less about cutting and more about recalibrating what is already in place.
That included unused tools and subscriptions or products that were not being used efficiently. The “cleaning the house” cost-saving approach sits within a broader framework of five priorities that guide Aurora’s overall technology strategy: data-driven decision-making, cloud and AI modernization, cybersecurity agility, fiber infrastructure, and workforce development.
A DATA-DRIVEN CITY BUILT INCREMENTALLY
At the center is a shift in the city's approach to data. Instead of treating it as a byproduct of operations, Tyagi says, Aurora is working to position data as a core asset that informs decisions across departments — bringing data literacy to each department and centralizing data as well, Tyagi said.
Alongside that shift, Aurora is putting structure around how data is managed and protected.
“Once you have that clear understanding of your data, then it becomes very easy for any frontier technology, whether it’s machine learning, AI, or [generative AI] GenAI, to kind of create meaningful outcomes for your organization,” the CIO said.
Aurora’s investment in data is actually gaining attention outside City Hall. Its open data portal was recently nominated for a national award. And the city recently won the Total Government Experience award from Granicus. Rather than simply publishing data sets, Tyagi said, the city is building toward deeper analytical capabilities.
While many cities are still developing policies or beginning to roll out tools, Tyagi described a gap in how data itself is being prioritized. No one, he said, seems to be focused on data center and data literacy and using the frontier technology for predictive analytics.
A MEASURED PATH TO MODERNIZATION
Aurora’s approach to AI is deliberate and structured as well. The city began by first establishing policies and defining boundaries before introducing tools. From there, governance became a key mechanism for managing innovation; according to Tyagi, new ideas are evaluated through a process designed to weigh both risks and benefits.
An AI governance committee created last year as part of Aurora’s AI policy considers new initiatives and partnerships. Within those guardrails, AI is beginning to show up in practical applications. One active use, the CIO said, is centered around a chatbot, and aims to help employees boost efficiency internally.
Aurora is extending similar tools directly to residents, aiming to make information easier to surface and interact with in real time. The idea, Tyagi said, is to help people get “answers based on the knowledge base that we have for our 311 data systems.”
CYBERSECURITY AND COLLABORATION
But as Aurora expands its digital capabilities, its approach to cybersecurity is evolving in parallel, shifting from a static framework to something more continuous and adaptive. Last year, officials rebooted their security posture and how Aurora engages with its managed security service provider.
The city is working closely with neighboring governments to strengthen preparedness, including shared exercises to simulate real-world threats. In response to rogue actors and the threat of agentic attacks, collaboration has become a central component of the city’s cybersecurity approach.
WORKFORCE AND VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS
How did the city’s cost savings take shape? Through a combination of internal strategy, vendor engagement, and a closer examination of how technology is actually used, the CIO said. That process began with more direct, candid conversations with providers about value and usage.
In many cases, different teams were independently paying for similar platforms; consolidation helped the city lean more heavily toward strategic automation. That, Tyagi said, created “the opportunity to work more efficiently with less people” and emphasize higher-value work.
The emphasis is more on rethinking how work gets done and prioritizing outcomes over effort — directing staff time toward work that requires human judgment, creativity and focus.
For residents, these shifts may surface gradually through everyday interactions with city services. Over time, improvements in responsiveness, access and transparency are intended to emerge as underlying systems become more connected, more data-informed, and better equipped to support decision-making in real time.
At the same time, the city is continuing to build out public service platforms, as with e-citations, moving away from paper-based tickets and toward fully electronic ones issued in the field. The next step is connecting those electronic tickets more easily into the city’s internal systems — particularly with finance and the court system. Tyagi said the project is already underway and should be finished this year.
Elsewhere, Aurora’s technology strategy extends into physical infrastructure, where its fiber network is beginning to take on a more strategic role. Tyagi framed the work not just as maintenance, but an opportunity to rethink how the city manages and leverages its assets.
“I won’t promise a smart city, but I would say we are moving towards a data-driven city and in a very responsible way,” he said. “I’m trying to focus more on foundational things. And the outcome that I have in mind is how to serve residents better, but how to be transparent with them as well.”
