Seattle's city government will delay the implementation of Microsoft’s AI Copilot chatbot for city employees, a departure from former Mayor Bruce Harrell’s ambitious AI strategy. Mayor Katie Wilson aims to ensure that the AI initiatives align with her administration’s objectives, promoting a careful approach to technology use.
Last year, Harrell had set the groundwork for integrating AI into city operations, envisioning Seattle as a leader in responsible AI practices. The initial testing phase of Copilot involved 500 city employees, who provided positive feedback through a survey indicating significant productivity gains. Participants reported saving an average of two and a half hours weekly by utilizing the tool for tasks like document drafting and meeting note summarization.
Despite the favorable reception, Wilson's administration has chosen to pause the further rollout originally planned for late February. According to city IT spokesperson Megan Erb, this decision is intended to ensure that any future AI implementations meet privacy and security standards while delivering tangible benefits to employees. While the rollout is on hold, the initial group of employees will still have access to Copilot during this evaluation period.