Crisis Communications
AI and Technology
Premium

When AI Answers the Public's Questions For You

Christine Townsend
March 26, 2026
5 min read
AI tools can improve public service efficiency, but focusing only on resolution rates misses how residents feel about their interactions. Understanding their experience is key to building trust in local government.

Your IT department is already looking at it. Your city manager may have already signed a contract. Or you're about to sit in a demo where someone will show you a dashboard, explain the cost savings, and quote a resolution rate that sounds genuinely impressive.

What nobody in that meeting is going to ask — unless you do — is what the experience feels like to the resident on the other end.

That's your job. And it's more important than ever right now.

The Resolution Rate Isn't the Whole Story

AI-assisted public communication tools are getting genuinely good at handling routine contacts. A resident checks on a permit status. Someone wants to know when their trash gets picked up after a holiday.

Premium Content

This article is available to Monthly ($29/mo) and Annual ($259/year) members. Upgrade to continue reading.

✓ Monthly from $29/month • Annual $259/year • Full content access