A recent exploration into the use of AI chatbots for drafting reports in local government settings has shown promising results. Marc Pfeiffer, writing for ICMA.org, detailed a scenario where an AI chatbot named Claude was tasked with preparing a report on innovation in municipal government. The goal was to explain what innovation means in this context and suggest steps for introducing it.
Pfeiffer took on the role of a township administrator assigning the task to his assistant, which in this case was Claude, an AI chatbot. "Claude responded to my prompt in about 40 seconds from the time I pressed the enter button," Pfeiffer noted. He reviewed and formatted the report but found no substantial reason to edit its content.
The report prepared by Claude focused on practical implementation and clear language, aiming to make complex concepts accessible to elected officials. It covered various aspects of innovation, such as improving municipal operations through digital technology and providing better services to residents while using taxpayer resources efficiently.
Claude's report included several sections: an executive summary, practical benefits of innovation, recommended steps for implementation, and do’s and don’ts for innovation implementation. The recommendations emphasized starting with manageable projects that show clear benefits and involving staff early in the process.
Pfeiffer highlighted how using a chatbot saved him several hours of research and writing. He also stressed the importance of having a human involved to add context and ensure reliability. This experiment demonstrated that chatbots could effectively draft initial versions of reports when research can be conducted online.
The article concluded with insights into why Claude kept the report concise at around 800 words. According to Claude, "An 800-word report hits a sweet spot...long enough to cover essential concepts...but short enough to be read in one sitting." This approach aims to engage decision-makers who often have limited time for reading lengthy documents.
Overall, this exercise showcased how AI could assist local governments by streamlining tasks like drafting reports while still requiring human oversight for final adjustments and contextual understanding.
