How AI will impact state governments -- GCN

Why: With 58 percent of respondents to a 2018 NASCIO survey expecting artificial intelligence and machine learning to be the most impactful emerging technologies over the next three to five years, NASCIO investigates how the technology is currently being used by state governments. Findings: A recent Deloitte report outlines four uses of automation: relieving humans of day-to-day tasks; splitting up tasks to allow computers do so some work and humans to supervise; replacing work done by humans; and augmenting work to make humans more efficient or effective at their jobs. Robotic process automation is making inroads in both back-office and front-office functions, the NASCIO study finds, saving between 40 and 70 percent on labor costs and completing work with near zero error rates. The North Carolina Innovation Center, for example, is using chatbots to split up some of its help desk work, and Mississippi's citizen-facing chatbot can respond to over 100 inquiries. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is using AI to import real-time weather information, crunch the numbers and develop basic analysis that meteorologists review.