The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly changing the way in which cities and regions deliver services, engage with citizens and manage infrastructure. Innovations often improve efficiency, responsiveness, and transparency of public governance but also come with complex challenges, related to privacy and human rights protection. Many elected officials and staff of local and regional authorities lack the skills and resources to work with AI tools.
The Congress has put forward, in a rapport presented by Truls Gihlemoen, Norway (R, ECR) and Annika Vaikla, Estonia (L, ILDG), that local and regional authorities should establish human-centred and human-rights compliant AI-governance structures in line with the Council of Europe Framework Convention on artificial intelligence, and to adequately train elected representatives and administrative staff in its use.
AI-based services should consider the needs and behaviours of end users: clear communication, accessible interfaces and specific in-person support should be ensured. The “digital only” principle should be limited to large-scale services and meaningful human oversight should be ensured wherever high-risk AI systems are used for automated decisions that impact individuals (for example regarding social benefits or housing allocation). Smaller municipalities could work together to benefit from economies of scale in procurement and deployment of AI tools.
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