Researchers at Queensland University of Technology have delved into the realm of AI-powered chatbots within the local government sector, examining both their advantages and potential drawbacks, their various applications, and the perceptions of users towards them.
The study offers a thorough examination of the effects of chatbots on local government operations. The researchers emphasize the potential of chatbots to revolutionize and enhance communication between citizens and government entities at the local level, addressing longstanding challenges in this area.
Initial foray
“Currently, chatbots in local governments serve purposes such as providing information, facilitating consultations, handling transactions, and addressing complaints, thereby create a greater opportunity to enhance outreach and engagement with its citizens,” the researchers explain.
“The key benefits of using chatbots in local governments include reduced workload, delegation of often requested tasks, enabling human personnel to focus on more complicated duties, optimized daily routines, timesaving, and enhanced cost-efficiency in public expenditure.”
The study cited a practical example: the deployment of the Microsoft Azure chatbot named “CHIP” by the local government in Los Angeles. Jasson Walker Jr., CEO of cFocus Software, noted that CHIP had delivered notable outcomes, including a noteworthy 50% decrease in the volume of received emails.
“Despite the benefits of an exemplary chatbot like that one, concerns related to accuracy, accountability, exclusionary assumptions, and ethical considerations do pose challenges to the widespread adoption of AI-powered chatbots in local government settings,” the authors continue.
Untapped potential
The researchers believe that chatbots are largely under-explored in local government, but nonetheless have tremendous potential for improving everything from citizen-government interactions to communication.
This is especially so when chatbots interact with other software via APIs, with natural language processing allowing them to create human-sounding responses to queries.
“These technologies’ collaborative efforts enable chatbots to imitate human-like conversations, learn from prior interactions, and give customized support to the users,” the researchers explain.
Integrating user feedback and considering institutional implications within the design thinking process holds promise for enhancing the service quality of chatbots employed by local governments.
As user expectations continue to evolve, leaning towards personalized interactions and rapid response times, the trajectory towards self-service and on-demand solutions will continue to propel the uptake of chatbots within local government contexts.
The ongoing evolution of public behaviors, coupled with the broader societal shift towards digitalization, sets the stage for the widespread adoption of chatbots by local governments in the future.
“Our study offers a novel chatbot adoption conceptual framework for local governments, and our prospective studies with local governments from Australia and overseas will involve real-world application of the consolidated framework,” the authors conclude.
“This new generation of chatbots can engage in human-like conversations, understand natural language inputs, and is the focal point of our prospective studies.”
