Artificial Intelligence (AI) Initiative

Developing clear guidelines and policies governing the responsible use of AI across all City departments.

Goals

Establish an adaptable framework for AI governance that embraces values of innovation, safety, fairness, transparency, accountability, inclusivity, and efficiency while mitigating the bias, data privacy, and cybersecurity risks inherent in AI adoption.

Target Outcomes:

1. The City’s actions on AI are guided by clear policies and processes consistent with the City’s vision and values.
2. City departments are engaged in co-designing AI governance and coordinated in their implementation efforts.

Actions/Strategies:

1. Establish an AI Policy Implementation Committee.
2. Establish Guiding Principles and Definitions.
3. Develop AI Guidelines.
4. Develop and adopt an AI Policy
5. Embed the AI Policy in the procurement and contracting processes.
6. Embed the AI Policy in TID’s forthcoming IT Governance framework.

Empowering the City’s workforce with the skills, tools, and resources to use AI technologies safely and effectively.

Goals

Empower the City’s workforce to use AI safely and responsibly, taking advantage of the benefits to efficiency, while mitigating the risks around AI bias, privacy, and cybersecurity.

Target Outcomes:

1. City staff are aware of and understand City policies around AI use and procurement and abide by them in their day-to-day work.
2. City staff are equipped with knowledge and resources to exercise sound judgement for  the safe and responsible use of AI. 
3. City staff feel safe and encouraged exploring AI use cases.
4. City staff report AI improving their job efficiency and satisfaction.

Actions/Strategies:

1. Establish an AI Staff Workgroup.
2. Identify high-priority AI skills needs and conduct AI Training for City staff.
3. Foster information sharing across departments through the Data Learning Community.
4. Pilot AI tools for staff productivity (e.g. Microsoft Copilot for Enterprise).
5. Explore developing in-house AI capabilities for high-value use cases, e.g. internal LLM/GPT.
6. Explore opportunities to bring AI talent into City government for limited-term projects through university and civil society partnerships.

Ensuring the City’s residents can use AI safely and responsibly to better their personal and professional lives, preventing the emergence of a digital AI divide.

Goals

Empower the City’s community members to use AI safely and responsibly in their personal and professional lives, taking advantage of its benefits, while minimizing personal risks. Build trust with community members around the City’s AI programs and use of AI tools.

Target Outcomes:

1. Community members from all backgrounds, including those traditionally underserved by technology, pursue avenues for public engagement to shape the City’s decisions on AI.
2. Community members are well-informed about the City’s AI programs and trust that the City uses AI responsibly and safely, protecting their data and counteracting bias.
3. Community members are equipped with knowledge and resources on AI and use it to better their personal and professional lives.

Actions/Strategies:

1. Identify high-priority AI skills needs and concerns among residents.
2. Conduct an AI Community Education Campaign targeting diverse populations.
3. Regularly publish information on City’s AI efforts, including through a dedicated website.
4. Develop channels for community co-design and regularly solicit public input on City’s AI efforts, including by engaging TIC or LB Co-Lab model.
5. Explore partnerships with community organizations, model research institutions, civil society organizations, and others to enhance public engagement efforts.

Enabling thoughtful adoption of AI tools through launching pilots, conducting risk assessments, and developing responsible procurement practices.

Goals

Establish clear rules, processes, and support for AI vendors to engage with the City and for departments to make decisions on AI procurement. Improve delivery of services through transparent, safe and responsible deployment of AI, encouraging discovery and scaling of successful AI pilots.

Target Outcomes:

1. City departments and AI vendors are compliant with the City’s AI Policy and supported in their contracting efforts.
2. City officials engage in responsible discovery and scaling of AI pilots and rely on clear rules and processes for procuring AI tools.
3. City operations and service delivery are improved thanks to the transparent, safe and responsible deployment of AI, uplifting communities and businesses.
4. The City’s use of AI does not perpetuate inequities, discrimination, harm, and bias against Long Beach residents. The City uses a racial equity lens to examine the burdens, benefits, and unintended consequences of AI.
5. The City’s use of AI minimizes negative environmental impacts, including energy consumption and water usage. AI adoption and procurement decisions are evaluated through a sustainability lens consistent with the Long Beach Climate Action Plan.

Actions/Strategies:

1. Provide preliminary AI Use Cases.
2. Develop AI Procurement Guidelines and AI Risk Assessment that integrate equity and environmental impact considerations.
3. Establish and maintain an AI Use Case registry and an inventory of AI technologies, supported by Vendor AI Factsheets.
4. Support AI piloting, success measurement, and iteration within City departments, ensuring compliance with the City’s pilot procedures.