Home Innovation Artificial Intelligence San Jose Uses AI to Streamline...

San Jose Uses AI to Streamline Governance and Boost City Efficiency

Artificial Intelligence

Business Honor - San José Uses AI to Streamline Governance & Boost Efficiency

Business Honor
22 July, 2025

Mayor Mahan leads AI-driven reforms to reduce bureaucracy, cut costs, and enhance services.

San Jose is launching a new initiative to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve city governance. Mayor Matt Mahan has begun utilizing platforms like ChatGPT to support some of the city's day-to-day administration tasks. From writing speeches for public events to assisting in the handling of a $5.6 billion yearly budget, the mayor and his staff are utilizing AI to cut down on time and reduce bureaucracy.

San Jose has already invested over $35,000 to buy 89 licenses for its employees using ChatGPT, at around $400 per license. It aims to train 1,000 of its employees (15% of its total workforce) in using AI within the next year. The technology is already impacting many things—from addressing pothole complaints to assisting the police with criminal investigations.

AI is not just saving time, it's also helping the city raise funds. Andrea Arjona Amador, who is linked with the city's electric mobility project, used the services of ChatGPT to attain a $12 million grant for EV charging stations. AI helped her manage deadlines, organize emails, and even drafts parts of the grant proposal. While Mayor Mahan is bullish on the potential of AI, he is also wary. "You still have to have humans check what it did," he says. Even with all its benefits, AI must be applied carefully and with verification.

San Jose's AI efforts are part of a bigger trend in the Bay Area. San Francisco and other cities are examining AI technologies to boost their own work as well, though not without challenges. San Jose's application of AI, even with these risks, could be an example for other cities to become modern while being responsible. With improving artificial intelligence technology, there is little question that it can make governance more productive and efficient.