Picture a future in which the city you live in uses data-driven insights to ensure water efficiency, machine learning to improve traffic patterns and safety, and real-time analytics to ensure municipal services are rapidly and effectively deployed to those most need them. Thanks to the recent jumps in the evolution of technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things, the cities of the future are starting to take shape today, and Tempe has the potential to lead the way.
Just over a year ago, our city became the first in Arizona, and one of the first in the country, to issue a policy for the ethical use of AI. In it, we outlined principles, guidelines and procedures for the responsible use of AI within city government — a framework that recognizes the critical need for balance in AI regulation. After all, if we want to build the innovative AI-powered cities of the future, we cannot straddle ourselves with sweeping policies that restrict innovation today. Instead, Tempe led by creating reasonable guidelines that mandate responsible conduct without hampering its transformational potential to improve our city.
Armed with a policy that enables us to explore these possibilities, Tempe has already made great strides. From our local schools using it to better protect kids from threats to our universities leveraging it in research to combat Alzheimer’s disease, we’ve already come a long way. However, the real value of AI in city operations is its possibilities for the future, and we’re already seeing this play out in neighboring communities as local leaders across Arizona embrace innovation.
Given the growing challenges of climate change and water scarcity, neighboring cities like Phoenix are already leveraging AI for tasks like monitoring wastewater — ensuring pollutants don’t seep into the water and affect the treatment process or cause unnecessary damage to public infrastructure. Meanwhile, cities like Tucson have employed AI-powered mobility platforms to reduce traffic congestion and road delays by nearly 50%.
Outside of Arizona, AI is making a real difference in cities and towns across the country by supporting in areas like optimizing emergency response, improving public services and providing a more accessible outlet for public input on municipal affairs, to name just a few of the many emerging applications for it in local government.
Building community-focused AI applications like these requires trust and transparency. While I know many are excited about the future it presents, I also understand the worries that some have about its use in local governments’ day-to-day operations. Rest assured, we are taking meaningful steps to integrate this technology responsibly. To remain competitive in this landscape, local leaders must find a way to responsibly incorporate emerging AI solutions for the betterment of their communities.
As mayor of Tempe, I look forward to collaborating with other leaders to explore how best to use emerging technologies like AI to build better cities that deliver efficient and impactful municipal services for their residents.
By working together, I am confident we can build the cities of tomorrow that more effectively and equitably serve the communities they represent.
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