Case | Vivida Assistance
Knowledge page
AI in the public sector: How municipalities are using AI to provide better services to citizens
Today, citizens expect to quickly find the right information, get answers to their questions, and access the municipality’s e-services whenever it suits them. At the same time, municipalities must address more needs and higher demands with limited resources. Used correctly, AI can help municipalities provide faster responses, simplify communication with citizens, and free up time for staff. But the path to achieving this doesn’t start with the technology. It starts with identifying their needs.
Better service starts with identifying the right problem
AI may seem like the answer to almost everything. But before choosing a solution, you need to know what problem you’re trying to solve. Is it difficult for visitors to find information on the website? Do simple questions take up too much of the customer service center’s time? Do employees need better support to handle cases?
Once the need is clear, it also becomes easier to assess whether AI is the right tool. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes better content, a clearer structure, or a simpler process is enough. That, too, is a valuable insight.
How AI can improve services for citizens
Many municipalities are already using AI in a variety of ways. What characterizes the best examples is that the technology operates in the background, making things easier for users in the foreground.
Helps visitors find what they're looking for
An AI assistant on the municipality’s website can guide visitors to relevant information, suggest search terms, and display related content. This means that more people can resolve their issues on their own, while reducing the burden on the municipality’s contact channels. For citizens, it becomes easier to find what they’re looking for. For the municipality, there are fewer questions like “Where can I find the form?”
In the municipality of Götene, the AI assistant Göta helps visitors find what they’re looking for. The assistant helps visitors by displaying quick links, suggested search terms, questions and answers, and related news.
The content is tailored to visitors’ behavior and context. This makes it easier to find the right information and gives the municipality’s editors more time to develop content.
The result is a better experience for visitors and a smarter way of working for the organization.
Provides faster answers to frequently asked questions
AI can be used to answer recurring questions about, for example, daycare, building permits, waste management, or elder care.
That doesn’t mean that every question should be handled by a robot. But when the simplest questions are answered quickly, employees can spend more time on matters that require experience, judgment, and human interaction.
Supports Editors
AI can support editors throughout the entire content creation process, from idea to follow-up. It can save time in day-to-day work, make it easier to tailor content to different target audiences, and give editors more room to focus on content, tone, and communication.
For the editors at Hallstahammar Municipality, AI provides concrete support in their day-to-day work that simplifies their tasks and improves communication. With the help of AI, they can, among other things, create and summarize texts, check content for clarity, and gather information from multiple sources. This saves time, makes the information easier to understand, and creates smoother workdays.
Make the content more relevant
By analyzing searches, behavior, and recurring questions, the municipality can gain a better understanding of what citizens actually need. This gives editors a clearer basis for improving content and services.
In short: less guesswork and more time for what really makes a difference.
4 questions you need to consider before implementing AI
For decision-makers and IT managers, AI isn’t just about opportunities. It’s also about responsibility.
1. What benefits should AI provide?
Set a clear goal. It could be shorter response times, better availability, or less administrative work. Without a clear goal, it will be difficult to measure whether the solution is actually working.
2. What data is AI allowed to use?
AI requires access to relevant and reliable information. At the same time, personal data, sensitive information, and access rights must be handled properly. Good data quality isn’t the most spectacular part of an AI project. But it’s often the most important.
3. How do we maintain control over AI?
It must be clearly stated when AI is used, how it arrives at its answers, and who is responsible for the results. People must be able to review, correct, and halt the system—especially when it affects citizens or is used to support the exercise of public authority.
4. How can we start with AI on exactly the right scale?
It’s rarely a good idea to start with a project that aims to transform the entire organization all at once. Choose a limited scope, test it with employees and citizens, and follow up on the results. Once you know what works, you can take the next step.
The technology should be as unobtrusive as possible
Good citizen services aren’t about showing off advanced technology. They’re about making it easy to get help. When AI works at its best, citizens don’t need to think about how the solution is built. Information is simply easier to find, and issues are resolved more quickly. For the municipality, this means that resources can be allocated where they are most needed.
AI in the public sector is therefore not about letting technology take over. It’s about providing people with better support, both within and outside the organization.
And perhaps that is precisely where the greatest opportunity lies: less time spent on unnecessary red tape and more time for genuine, valuable service.
Are you curious about how AI can benefit your public services?
Discover how other municipalities are using AI to make everyday life easier for both citizens and employees.