Reimagining the Future of Government: Human-Centered AI at the Local Level
By combining technical excellence with ethical leadership, governments can deliver services that are not only efficient but also human-centered, effective, and accessible to all.
By Andrew Ngui
A resident emailed at 1:00 a.m. because he was unable to access a survey link that was obscured by a cookie consent pop-up on our public engagement platform. I was awake and responded immediately, resolving the issue with a quick screenshot. The constituent’s reply was grateful, but also skeptical, responding with “who knows, maybe you’re an AI.” This unexpected exchange prompted a moment of reflection, revealing a deeper truth about the state of digital government engagement. This friction reveals a strategic mandate for local government leaders. They must engineer transformation by scaling successful pilots into enterprise-wide solutions that tangibly improve residents' quality of life.
Digital Service Paradox
Government leaders today face a paradox. Residents expect services to match the effortlessness of their favorite apps, yet agencies must operate within legacy systems, strict regulatory frameworks, and perennial resource constraints. According to a 2023 Bloomberg Philanthropies survey, only 2% of local governments in the US currently use AI. Meanwhile, a 2024 Deloitte survey found that only 23% of US residents regularly interact with the government through digital channels. This creates a widening service-delivery gap. While resident expectations for digital excellence are high, government adoption of the very tools that could meet those expectations remains nascent. The gap is more than just technical. It is cultural, experiential, and organizational.
Promise and Limits of AI
AI, particularly agentic AI that can independently complete complex tasks, is increasingly seen as a solution to government’s digital friction. This is not a future concept; it is happening now. AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants are already resolving resident queries in cities such as San José, Kansas City, Boston, freeing staff for higher-value work. In Kansas City, the BizCare office launched Maya, a multilingual chatbot that assists entrepreneurs in navigating business licensing and permitting in more than 70 languages. In Boston, officials are piloting generative AI tools for civic engagement and document summarization with a strong emphasis on public trust. In Washington, D.C., the DC Compass assistant makes open data accessible through natural language, while San Francisco’s AI-powered code analysis is streamlining municipal regulations. Collectively, these initiatives show a clear trend. AI is moving from a theoretical tool to a practical enabler of more responsive, data-driven local government.
Yet, the promise of AI is not without caveats. While a 2025 EY survey of nearly 500 senior state and local government executives found that 63% see AI’s value in enhancing service delivery, only 26% have integrated AI across their organizations, and significant barriers remain. Among the most critical of these is the risk of reinforcing social biases. The World Economic Forum cautions that without intentional design, AI systems can inadvertently introduce bias and fail to produce equitable outcomes for all residents.
Navigating Data, Ethics, and Governance
The most successful digital transformations are grounded in robust data governance and cross-functional collaboration. To ensure responsible use, leaders must also embed risk assessments and clear policy guidelines into every stage of AI adoption. Kansas City’s implementation of its Maya chatbot, anchored by deep community partnership, exemplifies these principles in action. This effort demonstrates that technology alone is insufficient. Human oversight, ethical frameworks, and continuous feedback loops are essential to ensure AI augments rather than diminishes public trust.
Deploying AI in local government is not a cure-all for frustration rooted in outdated processes and unclear requirements. It cannot address the perception that navigating government is needlessly complicated simply because "it's always been done this way." While AI can streamline workflows and improve efficiency, it cannot single-handedly address the root causes of public skepticism such as rigid bureaucracy, lack of transparency, and policies that no longer make sense in today’s context.
Genuine reform requires more than technological upgrades. A 2025 study from a leading change management firm confirms this, finding that 63% of AI implementation challenges are rooted in human factors, while only 16% are purely technical. This reality demands that executive and department leaders challenge legacy practices. Their crucial role is to set the vision and cultivate a culture of service that empowers staff to solve problems beyond the rigid constraints of job descriptions.
Rethink, Redesign, and Lead
Leaders should ground their strategy in established change management models like the Prosci ADKAR model or Kotter’s 8-Step process to minimize resistance and ensure sustained adoption. Key actions within this framework include:
Map the resident journey to identify and redesign high-friction interactions.
Challenge legacy assumptions and transform outdated processes.
Invest in AI to automate routine tasks and focus on human connection.
Prioritize data data governance, transparency, and ethical oversight.
Foster a culture of experimentation, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Leaders are not alone in this work. The GovAI Coalition was formed for this very purpose. As a community of practice for government innovators, it supports agencies at every stage of their AI adoption journey, helping them navigate complex challenges and share best practices.
The question for leaders is no longer if AI can help, but how they will guide it to solve the most persistent challenges. The tools exist, and the opportunity is real. The imperative is to act with vision, rigor, and purpose. Without this leadership, institutional inertia will prevail, and the possibilities for better service will remain untapped.
Forging the Future
Local governments face a pivotal moment. Every interaction is a chance to build trust or erode it. By combining technical excellence with ethical leadership, governments can deliver services that are not only efficient but also human-centered, effective, and accessible to all. The future of government is not inevitable. It is a choice, forged by those bold enough to reimagine and implement what is possible today. The imperative now is to translate theory into practice. Download the accompanying slide deck and use it to secure executive support for a concrete action plan. Change is not theoretical. It is the direct result of decisive action.
Acknowledgements
This work is inspired by ongoing dialogue with leaders shaping the future of public service. My sincere gratitude to Professor Stephen Goldsmith at Harvard Kennedy School; Professor Mitchel Weiss at Harvard Business School; Santiago Garces at the City of Boston; Khaled Tawfik, Albert Gehami, and Leila Doty at the City of San José; and many others who continue to engage, challenge, and lead the way toward “possibility government.”
About the author
Andrew Ngui is the Chief Digital Officer at the City of Kansas City, MO.
Note: The opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the GovAI Coalition or the authors’ affiliated professional organization(s).
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This is the blog for the GovAI Coalition, a coalition of local, state, and federal agencies united in their mission to promote responsible and purposeful AI in the public sector.
