AI Integration in HIkone City: A New Era for Citizen Service Operations

AI Integration in Hikone City: A New Era for Citizen Service Operations

In a groundbreaking initiative, And Dot Co., Ltd., based in Shibuya, Tokyo, has launched a pilot project within Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture. The project aims to revolutionize citizen service inquiries through the integration of their AI solution, Ork for Administrative Affairs. While the trial is currently restricted to internal staff testing and has not been opened to the public, it marks a significant step towards modernization and efficiency in local government operations.

A Collaborative Effort

This endeavor is part of a broader agreement between And Dot Co., Ltd. and Hikone City, aimed at enhancing local government operations through advanced technologies. It follows a previous project focused on AI education for city employees, showcasing the commitment of both parties to leverage cutting-edge solutions for public service improvement.

Addressing Two Major Challenges

Hikone City, like many municipalities, faces notable challenges in delivering efficient services to its citizens, particularly in the realm of digital accessibility and website management:

1. Accessibility of Information: Citizens often grapple with navigating the extensive information available on the local government website, leading to difficulties in finding specific services and resulting in frequent inquiries via phone or at service counters.

2. Website Management Complexity: For public relations staff, keeping track of all content updates on the municipal website is an overwhelming task. This can lead to outdated information, further complicating the user experience.

Solutions Offered by Ork for Administrative Affairs

The pilot project introduces several key technological strategies aimed at overcoming these challenges:

1. Fully Automated Operation

With Ork for Administrative Affairs, there’s no need for manual data selection or organization. The system simply requires the registration of the municipal website's URL, and the AI will autonomously crawl and learn from all available information. This dramatically reduces the workload for staff in creating FAQs and developing chat scenarios, leading to zero maintenance efforts.

2. 24/7 Citizen Support

The integration of an AI chatbot enables the city to respond to citizen inquiries instantly. Citizens will have access to real-time information at any hour, enhancing convenience and anticipated reduction in overall inquiries during busy periods, including outside of regular office hours.

3. Analyzing Citizen Needs

Through interactions with the chatbot, the AI can automatically analyze chat logs to visualize real-time data regarding citizen inquiries—such as common search terms and frequently inaccessible information. This capability not only aids in enhancing website content but also helps detect issues like broken links, offering valuable insights on public information needs.

And Dot’s Commitment to Administrative Excellence

Thus far, And Dot has provided support for AI implementation, education, and system development to over 200 municipalities. Their efforts include training at the National Emergency Management College and developing automated systems for front-office operations and evaluations in government settings. They are committed to driving comprehensive digital transformation (DX) initiatives across local administrations.

Municipalities interested in similar pilot projects or looking to expand AX housing initiatives are encouraged to reach out to And Dot for collaboration opportunities.

About And Dot Co., Ltd.

- CEO: Yuta Ibaraki
- Headquarters: 1-16-6 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Metropolis, 150-0043, Japan
- Business Focus: Solutions utilizing generative AI, alongside related services.
- Website: And Dot