Dive Brief:
- Louisville, Kentucky, announced Wednesday it has partnered with Govstream.ai for a pilot program to streamline the city’s permitting and development process with artificial intelligence.
- The AI company will analyze city codes, spatial data and permit records to “identify bottlenecks, speed up the process and enhance transparency” within the city’s permitting processes, according to Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg’s office. The program will run until the spring, after which findings and recommendations will be publicly shared.
- The pilot program launch follows the appointment of the city’s first-ever chief AI officer, Pamela McKnight, and is part of a wider effort to use technology “to update antiquated systems and processes,” Greenberg said in a statement.
Dive Insight:
As the housing affordability crisis continues to grip cities across the country, more local governments are reexamining their permitting processes in an effort to speed up housing development approvals — and some are turning to AI to help.
Los Angeles, Austin, Texas, and Honolulu are just a few of the cities incorporating AI to streamline their processes. Hernando County, Florida, said last year it trimmed its zoning review process from 30 days to two using AI.
Govstream.ai has also worked with Bellevue, Washington, to pilot an AI program to improve the city’s permitting process.
Louisville said its current permitting process “can be unpredictable and cause delays, leading to frustration for those seeking to complete projects on time and on budget.”
The partnership with Govstream.ai has an aggregate fee cap of $30,000 for the term, according to an RFP.
Greenberg introduced McKnight as the city’s first chief AI officer in a Dec. 5 social media video.
“Our mission is simple,” McKnight said. “Our mission is to harness the power of AI in order to enable our employees to better serve our citizens.”
