A new year is here. What will it hold for today’s governments and public works agencies? For many, it will bring a new (or heightened) resolve to increase innovation and agility using the power of cloud-based technologies—namely artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
Governments are charged with delivering a wide range of public services, including transportation infrastructure, utility services and building inspections. Yet the technology backbone for most agencies is severely antiquated—limiting their ability to provide services effectively or efficiently.
As the shift to IoT and AI gains momentum, an increasing number of public agencies will enjoy the benefits of proactive, predictive public works that can address challenges and prevent issues before they affect citizens.
What you’ll see more of in 2020:
IoT for predictive public works monitoring
Without modern monitoring capabilities, enabled by technology like IoT, public agencies often struggle to know if infrastructure is working properly. As a result, they’re far too reactive, which places citizens at risk of public works failures. With IoT, however, agencies can proactively monitor systems and quickly spot subtle signs of imminent issues. That knowledge can help avoid expensive field repairs on dispersed equipment, services outages and ultimately, frustrated citizens.
According to one report, leveraging IoT for predictive maintenance and resource management alone has the potential economic impact of up to $11 trillion by 2025.
AI for reduced service interruptions
Even if remote monitoring systems using IoT can significantly reduce service interruptions, some outages are simply inevitable. In those cases, governments have to respond reactively. Disgruntled citizens often turn to social media platforms to voice their complaints, which only makes things worse for cities and governments that value a positive reputation. By using AI to continually analyze data from IoT devices, governments can often predict and fix problems before they happen, improving citizen satisfaction and public relations.
AI for optimized resource allocation
Growing demands on public services mean an endless struggle for sufficient funds. But the right technology can help government agencies do more with less. For example, AI can drive automation in high-volume call centers, using chatbots to deal with a high percentage of routine phone calls. This frees up agents from answering repetitive questions, so they can focus on more difficult client issues.
AI can also help governments glean insights that improve decision-making and financial operations. It can help agencies allocate limited labor resources, which can optimize the budget. It can also provide flexible budgeting tools and contribute to faster decision-making, which pays off quickly through reduced risk of service issues and improved citizen satisfaction.
The idea of using AI and IoT in government isn’t new, but adoption is far from widespread. For more information on how to help government and public works agencies tap into the power of IoT, AI and other cloud-based technologies, contact the Ingram Micro Public Sector team today.