To boost state efficiency, California has put a ring on a trio of contracts with GenAI technologies. These new tools are meant to ease traffic congestion, up the ante on roadway safety, and smooth over the customer service experience at government call centers. The scoop comes from Governor Gavin Newsom's announcement at the Accenture headquarters in LA and is a direct follow-up to his executive call-to-arms in 2023 to get state agencies to adopt GenAI tech to level up state services.
GenAI is now slated to help Caltrans interpret a mishmash of complex data to improve traffic pattern analysis, tackle bottlenecks, and ramp up overall traffic management. According to a recent press release, the tech, developed by Microsoft and Accenture LLC, plans to use a treasure trove of data to predict and prevent traffic snarls, get a quicker bead on incidents, and pinpoint where safety needs a boost. “California is a global leader in GenAI innovation," California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin told the press, "and the signing of these contracts provides the state an essential tool to help solve some of our most pressing transportation challenges."
But it's not just about getting from A to B without a hitch. GenAI is also jumping into the fray to make roads safer for everyone, with a special focus on those who bike and tread the streets on foot. Deloitte Consulting's Gemini GenAI technology is the brains behind the operation, identifying hotspots for high-collision risks and pushing for targeted safety solutions. Caltrans Director Tony Tavares highlighted the boon this tech could be, saying these contracts show Caltrans' "commitment to innovation and being a national leader in adopting new technologies to improve lives and communities."
On the customer service front, the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA) has enlisted Claude, an AI guru from Anthropic, to cut through red tape and provide faster answers to taxpayer questions. The AI's role is to rifle through some 16,000 pages of reference material to help out staff on phones and live chats. CDTFA Director Trista Gonzalez emphasized the potential, stating, "This project will serve as a proof point moving forward to see if we can scale this technology across state government call centers."
