Digital transformation for municipalities is often complex: how can you successfully integrate new technologies without disrupting established systems?
At the recent MISA BC 2025 conference in Victoria, the SimplyAsk.ai team had the privilege of hosting a panel discussion with leaders from the City of Vancouver to explore a practical, effective approach to adopting AI and automation. The session, titled "How Canadian Cities are Moving AI & Automation Into Practice", provides a clear roadmap for public sector organizations, emphasizing gradual implementation and strategic enhancement over complete system overhauls.
The core message from municipal leaders? Successful modernization does not require a "rip and replace" strategy. Instead, municipalities can achieve significant efficiency gains and service improvements by incrementally introducing AI-powered tools that complement their existing workflows. This approach minimizes risk, controls costs, and allows organizations to build capabilities and confidence over time.
Here are the key insights from the panel:Â
Strategic Adoption: Complement, Don't Replace A primary takeaway was the importance of viewing AI not as a replacement for current systems, but as a powerful enhancement. The City of Vancouver's experience demonstrates that the most effective path forward is to identify specific pain points and apply targeted AI solutions.
Incremental Change: Instead of undertaking a massive, high-risk overhaul, the focus should be on small, manageable projects that deliver measurable value. This could involve automating a single repetitive task or implementing an AI agent to handle common citizen inquiries.Workflow Augmentation: AI tools can be integrated to work alongside human employees, augmenting their capabilities. For example, process automation can handle data entry and document routing, freeing up staff to focus on more complex, value-added work that requires critical thinking and human interaction.Building on Success: This gradual approach creates a foundation for future innovation. Each successful implementation builds institutional knowledge and demonstrates the tangible benefits of automation, making it easier to secure buy-in for subsequent projects.Navigating Governance, Privacy, and Procurement For public sector organizations, the implementation of any new technology is governed by strict regulations. The panel addressed these critical considerations head-on, offering practical advice for navigating the complexities of privacy, data governance, and procurement.
Data Governance and Privacy: A robust data governance framework is non-negotiable. Municipalities must ensure that any AI solution complies with privacy legislation and internal data management policies. This includes clarifying data ownership, residency, and security protocols from the outset. Working with vendors who prioritize these standards is essential.Procurement Strategies: Traditional procurement processes can sometimes be a barrier to adopting innovative technologies. The panel suggested exploring more flexible procurement models that allow for pilot projects and proof-of-concept deployments. This enables municipalities to test solutions in a controlled environment before committing to a large-scale investment.Human-in-the-Loop: A key strategy for mitigating risk and ensuring accuracy is the "human-in-the-loop" model. In this system, AI handles the bulk of a process, but a human employee reviews and validates critical outputs or manages exceptions. This hybrid approach combines the efficiency of automation with the judgment and oversight of a human expert, making it an ideal starting point for many municipal applications.Your First 30-120 Days: An Actionable Plan The discussion concluded with concrete steps for municipalities looking to begin their AI journey. The goal is to move from theory to practice within a clear, actionable timeframe.
Phase 1: The First 30 Days – Identify and Plan The initial month should be dedicated to discovery and strategic planning.
Identify High-Impact Use Cases: Assemble a cross-functional team to brainstorm and identify 3-5 processes that are repetitive, time-consuming, or create bottlenecks. Focus on tasks with clear, rule-based workflows.Define Success Metrics: For each potential use case, determine what success looks like. Will it be measured in hours saved, reduced error rates, or improved citizen response times?Assess Data Readiness: Evaluate the quality and accessibility of the data required for your chosen use cases. Ensure that you can proceed without compromising privacy or security.Phase 2: Days 31-90 – Pilot and Proof of Concept This phase is focused on testing your chosen solution on a small scale.
Select a Pilot Project: Choose the most promising use case from your initial list for a pilot deployment. Opt for a project with a high probability of success to build momentum.Engage a Technology Partner: Select a vendor with proven experience in the public sector and a platform that supports no-code or low-code implementation. This will allow your non-technical staff to be closely involved in building and refining the solution.Deploy in a Controlled Environment: Launch the pilot with a limited group of users. For instance, an AI agent could be tested internally to answer staff questions before being deployed to the public.Phase 3: Days 91-120 – Evaluate and Scale The final month of this initial period is for assessing results and planning the next steps.
Measure Against Metrics: Analyze the performance of your pilot project against the success metrics you defined in Phase 1. Gather feedback from users to identify areas for improvement.Build Your Business Case: Use the data and user testimonials from the pilot to build a strong business case for a wider rollout or the implementation of additional AI-powered solutions.Develop a Scaling Roadmap: Based on the lessons learned, create a roadmap for expanding your AI initiatives. This could involve applying the solution to other departments or tackling the next use case on your priority list.By following this structured, incremental approach, municipalities can confidently adopt AI and automation to enhance operational efficiency, improve service delivery, and build a foundation for a more resilient and responsive government.
We’re incredibly grateful to our speakers from The City of Vancouver, Amy Vilis Rene Cravioto
From strategic planning to IT modernization and operations automation, SimplyAsk.ai is your partner for unleashing business efficiency across your organization. Contact our sales team today to learn how we can help you, or check out our AI automation use cases for local government.Â
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