Three councilmembers will spend 13 months developing a strategy for artificial intelligence, examining how the city could use it in public services and prepare for its effects on jobs, businesses and infrastructure.
The city announced the working group on September 16. Its members are Steven Robillard, Philip Falcone and Steve Hemenway.
Robillard, who recommended creating the group, said it likely will meet once a month. He said he does not want to begin with a judgment that AI is either good or bad. His goal is to bring in experts, ask difficult questions and learn from other cities and institutions.
What the group will examine
The group is tasked with producing an “AI Strategic Framework.” According to the city’s announcement, its work will cover:
- City use of AI: policies for ethical, safe and transparent use.
- Jobs and businesses: economic and workforce development, including innovation, business attraction and workforce readiness.
- Infrastructure and land use: resource needs for data centers, high-capacity electrical grids and water-cooling demands.
- Cybersecurity and privacy: the considerations AI raises for protecting systems and data.
- Regional partnerships: work with regional institutions on digital literacy and the local economy.
The broader effort includes using AI in city operations, coordinating with other agencies and preparing the local economy for change.
Chief Innovation Officer George Khalil described “substantial opportunities” to improve city services in a report to the council, according to the announcement. The city’s release also identifies transparency, ethical standards, cybersecurity and data privacy as policy considerations.
What has—and hasn’t—been announced
The City Council Working Group on Artificial Intelligence Strategy and Policy is a group developing a framework. The announcement does not establish an adopted citywide AI policy.
It also does not give a vote tally or a date for the group’s first meeting. Monthly meetings remain Robillard’s expectation, rather than a fixed schedule announced by the city.
Update, October 14: Revised the headline and opening, reorganized the article for clarity and added key points. The facts and source are unchanged.