Mayor Leads Push for AI Integration in Public Services
The City of San Jose is accelerating its adoption of artificial intelligence, using tools like ChatGPT to support everything from public speeches to multimillion-dollar grant applications. Mayor Matt Mahan, a vocal advocate for AI, has openly embraced the technology to enhance efficiency among the city’s nearly 7,000 public employees. From event briefings to budget preparation, AI tools are increasingly embedded in the city’s operations.
Mahan sees AI as a way to cut through bureaucratic delays and focus more resources on serving San Jose’s 1 million residents. The city plans to train 1,000 workers by next year—roughly 15% of its workforce—to use AI for tasks such as responding to complaints, optimizing bus routes, and leveraging vehicle-tracking technology in public safety.
AI in Action: From Grant Writing to Communication
Andrea Arjona Amador, who heads electric mobility initiatives for the transportation department, is one of the most prominent AI adopters. She used ChatGPT to draft a successful $12 million grant proposal for EV charging infrastructure. By creating custom AI agents, she managed to organize deadlines and streamline complex document creation processes.
Arjona Amador also built a personal chatbot to refine the tone and clarity of her communications, especially valuable given her multilingual background. According to her, using AI has significantly reduced the need for late-night and weekend work to meet deadlines. In total, San Jose has spent over $35,000 on 89 ChatGPT licenses for city employees, investing in productivity gains across departments.
Bay Area Governments Set AI Adoption Standards
San Jose is not alone in the AI transition. San Francisco recently rolled out access to Microsoft Copilot for nearly 30,000 city employees, including social workers and nurses. The program comes with strong safeguards for privacy, bias mitigation, and guidance on responsible use. Similarly, San Jose has instituted usage policies and reported no major incidents with its pilot deployments so far.
Still, the technology isn’t without its risks. Other government uses of AI have faced scrutiny, such as an error-filled public report linked to AI use at a federal level and a resignation in Fresno after a school official relied too heavily on chatbot-generated content. Mayor Mahan insists human oversight is essential, emphasizing that AI should complement—not replace—judgment, logic, and verification.
Balancing Vision and Practicality in AI Rollout
Some cities are finding cost a barrier. In Stockton, initial experiments with AI agents—automated tools capable of handling bookings or managing public services—were shelved after trial phases proved too expensive. Analysts forecast that over 40% of AI agent projects may be canceled by 2027 due to cost or lack of clear returns.
Despite such hurdles, San Jose remains committed. Mayor Mahan believes AI can boost productivity in traditionally slow administrative areas like finance, HR, and grant writing. With partnerships and AI infrastructure developing rapidly across Silicon Valley, the city aims to lead by example in responsible and effective government innovation.
