Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Trials and New Rules in Local Governments

State and local governments have begun testing artificial intelligence systems capable of making autonomous decisions in order to reduce costs, accelerate operations, and improve services.

The Rise of Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Systems

State and local governments have started experimenting with artificial intelligence systems that possess the capacity to take actions on their own.

According to a guidance study published by the Urban Institute, establishing governance structures is of critical importance before these systems are integrated into public services.

Difference from Traditional Generative Artificial Intelligence

Unlike classic generative artificial intelligence tools, autonomous systems go beyond generating content and can independently plan to achieve a goal.

Graham MacDonald, Vice President of Technology and Data Science at the Urban Institute, states that these systems possess a certain level of autonomy to design future decisions and take action.

Pilot Implementations Carried Out in Local Governments

The state of Virginia identified billions of dollars in savings potential and accelerated processes in a pilot study launched to review regulatory documents.

Regions such as Utah and Boston are also testing autonomous artificial intelligence technologies for prescription renewal processes and open data portal integrations.

Key Recommendations Offered by the Guide

The guide prepared by the Urban Institute recommends that institutions document basic information prior to deployment and define the concepts of accuracy and fairness separately.

It also advises scaling oversight according to usage intensity and formalizing responsibilities across different roles.