Have No Fear: A Crawl, Walk, Run Path to AI for Local Gov't Services.

Crawl, Walk, Run: A Risk-Mitigated Path to Municipal AI

The hesitation many city leaders feel about AI is shaped by attempts of large technology overhaul initiatives that promised transformation but instead delivered disruption, cost overruns, and operational strain.

What is different today with AI is not the caution, it is the tech and how you buy it. Modern, narrowly deployed Conversational AI does not follow the same path as traditional government IT projects. The risk today is not in starting small with AI; it is in treating AI like another enterprise technology replacement.

AI does not require replacing core systems. It does not demand years-long implementations or organization-wide retraining. When introduced correctly, AI functions as a layer, operating within existing workflows and systems, governed by approved content, and constrained by clear policies.

That distinction is why forward-thinking municipalities are not “delaying AI,” but instead choosing a deliberate path into it. They are starting with small, non-intrusive tech complements executing governed pilots designed to test value, reduce risk, and build internal confidence before any broader expansion.

This approach allows cities to introduce simple AI to improve accessibility and efficiency while moving forward responsibly, gaining trust, without repeating the technology transformation mistakes of the past.