Smart Cities Connect
Chelsea McCullough
Real Talk
Excitement, the potential for tremendous impact, and a bit of the unknown are the perfect ingredients for a hype cycle. When it comes to AI (and smart cities) there are equal parts hope and ambiguity for what the future may hold. During this time when we are building the possible, it is so important for practitioners and experts to have honest, transparent conversations about the promise, the progress, and the inevitable problems that arise when people attempt to do big, new things.
Our collective need for reality-based dialogue is one of the core reasons why Smart Cities Connect (SCC) gathers city leaders and industry experts together twice per year. One of the most exciting panels at the upcoming Fall SCC Conference & Expo is “Tactics for AI-Readiness: Real Talk with Practioners.” Government technology and smart cities expert, Ruthbea Yesner will moderate the panel and focus specifically on how AI is impacting the public sector. While no one can predict what effect AI will have on local government, what we do know is that this technology is and will continue to be transformative. The question then becomes how to responsibly and ethically design and implement AI solutions that support city initiatives and the needs of residents and citizens.
Ruthbea Yesner, Vice President of Government Insights, will navigate this conversation along with Chris McMasters, Chief Information Officer at the City of Corona, CA and Bob Ritchie, Chief Technology Officer of SAIC. Specifically the panel will address GenAI, including agentic AI, including current use cases as well as more future plans for more strategic implementation. The panel promises a “down to earth, no fluff discussion” with tactical advice and real-world experiences.
The City of Corona will discuss how automation is a response to a rapidly-growing city and a way to optimize efficiencies, address staffing shortages, and be more responsive to residents. SAIC will offer their insights on how analytics can streamline government approaches with a focus on data convergence and interoperability that support human-led decision making. These perspectives will build upon research from IDC that shows how local and state governments are using GenAI tools and planning for future implementation. If you’re curious about how cities are being smart about integrating AI and GenAI into operations and processes, this is a panel discussion you will not want to miss.
Ruthbea Yesner states, “The issues, challenges, and opportunities facing state and local governments are real and in real time. We don’t have time or words to waste, so we’re excited to offer some straight talk at Smart Cities Connect Conference about AI, GenAI, and smart cities. Together we can learn more, faster!”
The panel will also focus on the fears that many city leaders and residents have about AI implementation at the local level and will discuss how to approach integration honesty and responsibility. Please join us for this morning session on Wednesday, November 14 for the first day of the Fall Smart Cities Connect Conference and Expo!
Ruthbea Yesner, Vice President of Government Insights, IDC (Moderator)
Bob Ritchie, Chief Technology Officer, SAIC (Speaker)
Chris McMasters, Chief Information Officer, City of Corona, CA (Speaker)