Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming part of everyday work in local government. But for many city and county leaders, the real question is not whether to use AI. It is about implementing the technology in a way that actually supports employees and improves services for residents.

To understand the best use of AI for the public sector, we interviewed Dawn Marie Buckland, executive director of the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office. Her advice to local government leaders is straightforward: Treat AI as a tool that strengthens teams rather than replaces them.

“We really need to, especially in local government, focus on the augmented intelligence side of this, where we’re not looking at AI as replacing people, but augmenting our ability,” Buckland said. “So I think it’s incumbent upon us to look at the resources that are available to us today and figure out how to provide the best possible service with those resources.”

AI Is Moving Fast as Resident Expectations Rise

Buckland says the pace of change is one of the biggest challenges for public-sector organizations. “We see AI moving exponentially,” she said.

At the same time, residents expect government services to match the efficiency they experience elsewhere. “I think as local governments, we have a responsibility to live up to the excellence in service delivery that our customers expect.” Buckland says AI can assist.

Addressing Two Major Concerns: Jobs and Security

When local government practitioners talk about AI, Buckland notes the conversation usually centers on two issues.

The first is workforce anxiety.

“When we talk about what it is that we’re fearing about AI, I think there are really two completely different tracks that you have to evaluate there,” she said. “One is, what is this going to do? Is this going to replace people?”

In practice, Buckland believes AI can help government teams manage growing workloads rather than eliminate positions.

“We all know every one of us has more to do than we can possibly get done,” Buckland said. “Right now, instead of replacing people, AI is really positioning us to be able to tackle that additional work—those additional priorities that we never seem to have the [time] to get done.”

The second concern is data security.

“Learning how to use AI and putting the right governance in place is absolutely critical to making sure that we’re not violating confidentiality or exposing our organization to malware,” Buckland said.

Start Small for Big Improvements Over Time

For governments just beginning to explore AI, Buckland recommends starting with lower-risk uses that rely on public information.

One example is using AI tools to help draft policy documents or internal communications. “That is a place for us to start,” she said. “That’s not the end product that we just simply sign off on and move on.” She emphasizes that staff must review and refine the output.

Buckland encourages local government leaders not to wait for major technology imperatives before exploring AI.

“Oftentimes, both with automation and with innovation in general, some of the best things we can do are small incremental changes,” she said. Those small improvements can add up quickly, especially in high-volume processes.

How Chatbots Can Reveal Hidden Problems

At the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office, Buckland’s team has been experimenting with chatbots to handle frequently asked questions. Surprisingly, building those tools revealed an unexpected benefit.

“As you build those tools, you really have to take the time to curate your data,” Buckland said. “During testing, the team discovered outdated documents still sitting on internal servers. It’s actually helping us to recognize what information it’s pulling from our servers, what information really shouldn’t be out there anymore, and get that cleaned up,” she said.

Additionally, once the chatbot improved, it began to reduce staff time answering repetitive questions, freeing up space for more complex or personalized work.

Final Advice: Experiment

“Play with it,” Buckland advised. “Get out there, just play around with it.”

At the same time, she says accountability and ownership stay with the people behind the work.

“At the end of the day, it still has to be your work product,” Buckland said. “When I’m signing off on something, it is exactly what I want it to be.”

Learn More at the Local Government Reimagined Conference: The AI Edge

If you’re navigating AI decisions, workforce concerns, or operational pressures in your organization, the Local Government Reimagined Conference: The AI Edge in Orlando (April 8–10) is for you.

Dawn Marie Buckland will speak further on effective AI for the public sector in her session: Smarter, Not Scarier: Using AI and Automation to Support—and Simplify—Local Government Work.

Learn more and register today.

Make hotel reservations by March 16, 2026, to receive the conference rate. After this date, rooms may be available based on the hotel’s availability and current rates.