Local Governments Deploy AI Without Clear Policies, Raising Ethical Concerns

AI Adoption in Local Governments: A Double-Edged Sword

A recent study of 170 local governments worldwide has uncovered a concerning trend: the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) systems without clear policies or public awareness. This investigation, conducted by a team of researchers, revealed 262 cases of AI adoption across various domains of public service delivery 1

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Widespread AI Implementation

The study found AI applications affecting local governance in five key areas:

1. Administrative services: For example, Madrid's VisitMadridGPT tourism chatbot provides personalized recommendations and real-time support 1

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2. Healthcare and wellbeing: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Boston launched an AI-driven chatbot for contactless food delivery 2

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3. Transportation and urban planning: Logan City in Australia implemented an AI system for real-time parking information 1

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4. Environmental management: Hangzhou, China, uses AI to classify waste more efficiently 2

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5. Public safety and law enforcement: Chicago has used AI to shape law enforcement strategies, reportedly reducing gun violence by 25% in 2018 1

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Lack of Policy and Oversight

Despite the widespread adoption, the study found that only 26 out of 170 local governments (less than 16%) had published AI policies as of May 2023 2

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The Rotterdam Case: A Cautionary Tale

The city of Rotterdam's experience with an AI system for detecting welfare fraud serves as a stark warning. Deployed in 2017, the system developed biases, flagging as "high risk" individuals who were female, young, had children, or had low Dutch language proficiency. The system was suspended in 2021 following an external ethics review 1

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Public Awareness Gap

A survey conducted in Australia, Spain, and the US revealed a significant disconnect between public awareness and local government AI initiatives:

• Over 75% of respondents were aware of AI technologies in general.
• Approximately 50% were unaware of AI use in local government services.
• 68% had no idea about existing or potential AI governance policies 2

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The Way Forward

To address these challenges, the researchers emphasize the need for:

1. Robust AI policies ensuring fairness, transparency, and ethical data use.
2. Public education about AI's role in local governance.
3. Increased transparency and communication from local councils.

The research team is currently working with local governments in Australia, the US, Spain, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia to develop guiding AI principles, with the aim of finalizing them by the end of 2025 1

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