Technology Leadership Briefing | AI Use Cases in State & Local Government: Part 1

With Jeff Scheetz, CIO, City of Avondale, Arizona

AI in government often raises concerns about job replacement, surveillance, and the risks of introducing new technologies into public services.

Jeff Scheetz believes the real opportunity is using AI to remove friction, improve efficiency, and help government employees better serve their communities.

In this Technology Leadership Briefing, Alex Jarett sits down with Jeff Scheetz, CIO of the City of Avondale and a Technology Executives Club® Board of Advisors member, to explore practical AI use cases that are changing how state and local governments operate.

From identifying potholes and infrastructure problems to providing automated support and deploying drones as first responders, Jeff shares how AI can help governments do more with limited resources while keeping people involved in critical decisions.

Key Takeaways

AI Should Help People, Not Replace Them

Government organizations face constant pressure to deliver more services with limited budgets and staffing. Jeff explains how AI can help employees become more productive by reducing repetitive work, improving response times, and allowing staff to focus on activities that require human judgment.

AI Detection Makes Cities More Proactive

Jeff shares an example of a city using AI-powered cameras mounted on sanitation trucks to identify potholes, graffiti, overgrown lots, and damaged infrastructure.

Instead of relying solely on citizen complaints or manual inspections, AI identifies problems as trucks travel through neighborhoods.

In this example, a process that previously required approximately 600 staff hours can now be completed in about 12 hours, a 97% reduction in time.

From Detection to Action

Identifying a problem is only the beginning. Jeff explains how AI can automatically generate service tickets and route them to the appropriate departments.

Whether it's a pothole requiring road repairs or graffiti that needs removal, city employees receive the information needed to investigate and take action.

The result is a shift from waiting for complaints to identifying and addressing community problems more proactively.

AI Voice Bots Improve Service Delivery

Jeff discusses how the City of Avondale has implemented an AI-powered voice bot to handle routine after-hours IT support requests.

Employees who need help resetting passwords, connecting to Wi-Fi, or resolving common issues can receive immediate assistance without waking up an on-call IT employee.

If the AI cannot resolve the problem, the request can still be escalated to a person. Jeff reports that the city is already seeing a reduction in calls requiring human intervention.

Police Drones as First Responders

One of the most interesting emerging use cases involves deploying drones immediately after a 911 call.

Jeff explains how drones can reach an incident in seconds or minutes, providing live video to emergency dispatchers before police officers, firefighters, or medical personnel arrive.

Dispatchers can assess conditions, identify additional resources needed, and provide responding teams with better information before they reach the scene.

Some systems can even coordinate multiple drones, automatically replacing one when its battery needs recharging.

Human Oversight Remains Essential

Throughout the discussion, Jeff emphasizes that AI is intended to support government employees, not eliminate human decision-making.

Whether AI identifies infrastructure problems, handles support calls, or provides emergency responders with real-time information, people remain responsible for evaluating situations and taking appropriate action.

The Bottom Line

AI in government is not just about introducing new technology.

It is about finding practical ways to improve public services, reduce administrative workload, respond faster to community needs, and help government employees accomplish more with limited resources.

As Jeff demonstrates, some of the most valuable AI applications are not necessarily the most complicated. They are the ones that solve real problems and make government work better for everyone.

This is Part 1 of our AI Use Cases in State & Local Government briefing series with Jeff Scheetz. Watch for Part 2, featuring additional practical applications of AI in government.

Hosted by: Alex Jarett, Founder & CEO, Technology Executives Club®
Featured Guest: Jeff Scheetz, CIO, City of Avondale, AZ

Watch the full briefing now.

View all of Jeff Scheetz's Leadership Briefings here.