Top tips for AI adoption in local authorities

Fears and scepticism around AI stem from a lack of understanding. Consequently, the first step to overcoming these doubts is to educate employees on its transformational benefits.

This can be done through bespoke training programmes or using case studies that demonstrate AI’s ability to bring about organisational change for good. By using evidence to demonstrate to employees why the technology is being implemented and how it will make their lives easier, staff will feel more confident and open to adopting new practices.

Years of misinformation and fearmongering have caused a widespread misconception that AI poses a threat to people’s jobs. This results in hesitation around its adoption.

It’s the responsibility of business leaders to dispel such myths and misconceptions. To do this they will need to take a top-down approach to win over those who are more resistant to change.

When starting their AI journey, leaders should begin by conducting a skills audit. This will help to identify knowledge or skills gaps within the workforce. Following this, they can develop a bespoke training plan that encourages and supports the workforce throughout the change adoption process.

Engaging with the workforce to test and trial new AI tools can provide use cases to help build the case for investment and efficiencies. Working with colleagues to drill down into the benefits not only provides great insight but also encourages co-creation and joint solutions to barriers.

Regular meetings are a great way to keep on top of milestones, targets and challenges, and 121s enable individuals to ask questions or voice concerns. Feedback is essential for monitoring the change process, so leaders should provide systems to give employees a voice, surveys and workshops, for example. A communication strategy should be developed to keep colleagues informed on the positive outcomes of AI and to provide up-to-date guidance on how to keep data safe.

Keeping an open mind is essential, not just to the idea of adopting AI, but also to the ways in which this technology can be implemented. The sky really is the limit when it comes to the capacity of AI. Subsequently, local authorities would do well to be creative in their approach to using it. Discussions have already begun around using AI for bin collection to ascertain how full bins are, as well as installing cameras on the base of the lorries as a method of pothole surveillance.

AI has the capacity to transform local authorities’ operations. It’s just a matter of communicating the benefits to a sceptical workforce, tackling misconceptions about AI, and creating a positive mentality around the technology. Doing this will help local authorities to overcome the barriers they face and unlock the transformational potential of AI.