Source: Auckland Council
Auckland Council is set to trial AI technology that will help Aucklanders quickly access the council support they need, underpinned by Google Cloud technology.
‘Ask Auckland Council’ is a new digital assistant which will help Aucklanders access the information and support they’re looking for across the council’s digital platforms, in a way that suits them.
The pilot, funded by Google Cloud and delivered in partnership with Deloitte, will be trialled and tested as part of a new phase of innovation the council is leading through its new Group Shared Services division.
Presented at February’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee chaired by Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, the new technology is expected to deliver a greater experience for all Aucklanders.
“It’s incredibly positive to see Auckland Council leading the way with new technology and innovation that holds great potential to deliver better service for all Aucklanders, at no cost to the ratepayer,” says Cr Simpson.
“The scale of this makes it one of the largest applications of this technology in New Zealand and, in future, could be leveraged by other councils too.
“It holds great potential for our multicultural city to improve their council experience 24/7. The State of the City Report signalled Auckland’s need to continue to invest in technology adoption and this is one example where we are leading innovation that benefits our communities.”
Digital assistant to help find information
Auckland Council receives over 1.5 million calls every year and holds region-wide services and information across multiple digital platforms, making it at times difficult for Aucklanders to find the information they are after, quickly and efficiently.
Ask Auckland Council will enable Aucklanders to go to one place where the digital assistant will find what they are looking for, across all council organisations. This reduces the effort factor significantly.
“We are thrilled to work alongside Auckland Council and Deloitte to help make information about public services more accessible for Aucklanders,” says Paul Dearlove, head of Google Cloud, New Zealand.
“By harnessing the power of Google Cloud’s AI platform, we are helping empower Aucklanders to easily find the information they are after, and creating a more seamless and intuitive experience across Auckland Council’s digital platforms.”
Trialing to enhance technology
Auckland Council group shared services director Richard Jarrett said the technology is a prototype that will be tested and carefully trialled so it can be further enhanced, based on customer experience.
“It’s great to see Google and Deloitte come onboard to help us prototype this initiative and work together to achieve this important milestone. We are very grateful for the support they’ve provided, says Mr Jarrett.
“Shifting from prototype to testing with Aucklanders is the next planned phase. We think providing a single channel that is user-friendly and navigates our multiple websites will benefit Aucklanders, particularly when looking for information or help. I look forward to seeing this technology progress through into full development.”
While English will be the first language, the vision is for the tool to be voice and text interactive across a number of languages, rolled out based on prioritising New Zealand’s three official languages.
“Over time, we will introduce additional languages, so it becomes a multilingual digital assistant that enables our customers to provide us with feedback, access the right information and connect with the right council service,” says Mr Jarrett.
“The acceleration of technology offers us an opportunity to experiment with what might be possible to help Aucklanders and visitors to our city to navigate the range of services and attractions we offer.”
Ask Auckland Council is expected to launch later this year.
