Civic Tech

Technology like mobile apps and data visualization dashboards is helping the state serve more of its residents — often without them having to leave their homes.

AskCOS, the city of Colorado Springs’ new artificial intelligence-enabled chatbot, was trained using Colorado city government information alone. The virtual assistant can answer constituent questions in 71 languages.

The Environmental Protection Agency has warned against hackers affiliated with Iran and China who could sabotage drinking and wastewater resources — attacks it said are increasing in severity and frequency.

The technology is intended to do a better job of scrutinizing lines — and to save money. It is believed to be the first such use of the combination in the state of Michigan, the Macomb County Public Works commissioner said.

The devices were not permitted anywhere in California, but new legislation allows a pilot in five cities including Oakland. Officials plan to install at least 33 cameras by the end of 2024 to catch speeding drivers.

Machine learning and predictive models are already having a regular effect on how residents live, although generative artificial intelligence isn’t seeing as much use yet. The state is also a leader in integrating AI into medicine.

The Kingston Police Department received nearly $1.15 million, officials said earlier this week. The funding can be used to purchase technology including license plate readers, computer-aided dispatch systems and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The My Whitfield community mobile app offers details on area housing, careers and events as well as links to regional municipal websites. It was developed in partnership between the county, the city of Dalton, and civic organizations.

Attorneys are asking Sacramento, Calif., officials to stop sharing automated license plate reader information with out-of-state law enforcement agencies that could use it to prosecute people seeking abortions or gender-affirming medical care.

A pact with Visionary Broadband will connect city and government buildings, emergency dispatch and schools, as well as businesses and homes. The move should improve communication and drive competition in broadband.

The Omni Fiber deployment is part of its planned expansion across Mercer County. Work began this month and service is expected to launch in phases beginning in August. The project will not require state, federal or local funding.

The company introduced two-way text messaging for the GovDelivery solution, to more directly connect the public sector and residents — but also enhance agencies’ ability to gather feedback and improve services.

The new technology, demonstrated Wednesday at the city’s international airport, verifies travelers’ identities by matching an ID to a photo taken at a TSA checkpoint. The system alerts on fraudulent or expired identification.

From Minnesota to California, technology workers are confronting a job market that, while long filled with opportunity, appears to now be oversaturated with candidates. The U.S. tech sector has shed more than 74,000 jobs so far this year.

Bill Zielinski, who has led the Information and Technology Services department since 2020, will step down April 30. In recent years, he led the city’s response to a ransomware attack, and to the deletion of millions of police records.

City law enforcement will use an $800,000 grant from the Bureau of Justice Administration to implement and evaluate three different technologies including ShotSpotter.

Hawaii’s capital city is piloting artificial intelligence-based software for building plan reviews, and will fully implement a new platform that went live in February. Updates to a third system are planned this year, all in the name of faster permitting.

The new 2023 Geospatial Maturity Assessment report from the National States Geographic Information Council evaluated 46 states and Washington, D.C. It highlights successes and disparities in GIS integration, and emphasizes collaboration.