Local government and its employees are amazing humans.  Sure, we all want to judge away based on the rage-baiting the media does about how government functions but in every experience I have had, especially with local government, the largest group of people are incredibly capable and hard working (and at an opportunity cost that would make the average capitalist question their life choices).

That being said, there just simply aren’t enough people to serve the growing needs of the masses.

Where I live, Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, the average salary for an employee in 2023 was approximately $58,295. This figure is slightly lower than the national average for government employees and also below the average for other counties. But, salaries within the county can vary significantly depending on the specific role and level of responsibility, with a range from about $24,000 to $67,000 annually and I am sure there is a lot more nuance and range but roll with me.

From helping to navigate farmers’ market vouchers or transportation decisions to simply responding to THOUSANDS of messages everyday, with unique circumstances, it’s tough if not impossible to delight the masses.

Here is a quick example of what Allegheny’s Area Agency on Aging has to service:

• Care Management
• Adult Day Services
• Personal Care
• Homemaking and Chore Services
• Transportation
• Home Delivered Meals
• Senior Companions
• Personal Supplies
• Home Health Services
• Home Modifications
• Money Management
• Personal Emergency Response Systems
• Emergency Shelter and Disaster Assistance
• Social Services Support
• Drug and Alcohol Treatment

YIKES!

But, here is where AI starts to lean in (in addition to the wonderful teams that are in the field or answering the call center requests). Meet Aggy if you want to get a taste of all of this - she’s AI!

Back to The Challenge: Managing 150+ Programs for 2,000,000+ People

Consider a hypothetical county government tasked with marketing and servicing over 150 programs annually to a population of more than two million people. These programs range from health initiatives and educational workshops to public safety campaigns and recreational activities. The sheer volume of work involved in planning, executing, and evaluating these programs is staggering. In addition to this, county employees are also required to respond to hundreds of emails daily (largely answering the same thing to different people), with inquiries spanning across more than 10 smaller, yet equally important, programs.

Could you context switch that often?  Would you want someone you love to have to do that?  Probably not.

The traditional approach to managing these responsibilities involves a team of human employees who must juggle multiple tasks, often leading to burnout, reduced efficiency, and slower response times. While human employees bring creativity, empathy, and nuanced judgment to the table, they are limited by time and energy. Here, the introduction of agentic AI, like SkillBuilder.io, as fractional employees offers a transformative solution.

The Role of Agentic AI as Fractional Employees

Agentic AI, when employed as fractional employees, can take on specific, repetitive tasks that typically consume a significant portion of human employees’ time. These AIs are capable of working tirelessly around the clock, managing tasks such as:

• Real Engagement, not just Automated Responses: Agentic AI can handle common queries related to specific programs, ensuring that residents receive timely and accurate information. This allows human employees to focus on more complex inquiries that require a personal touch.

• Data Analysis and Reporting: AI can analyze large datasets, such as feedback from program participants, social media interactions, and website analytics, to provide actionable insights. This information can help in optimizing program delivery and targeting the right audiences.

• Content Creation and Distribution: AI can assist in generating content for marketing campaigns, drafting social media posts, and even personalizing messages for different segments of the population. With AI handling these tasks, the human team can focus on strategic planning and creative decision-making.

The Human Element: AI as a Supportive Colleague, Not a Replacement

While AI excels at handling repetitive tasks, it is the human employees who provide the strategic oversight, creative direction, and interpersonal skills that are crucial in public service. In this model, the human employees take on the role of managers, overseeing the AI’s work, making high-level decisions, and stepping in where human judgment is required.

Benefits of Hiring AI as Fractional Employees

The integration of agentic AI as fractional employees helps in a few ways:

• Inclusive Communication: Any language, any style can be mirrored back with unlimited patience

• Increased Efficiency: AI can process tasks at a speed and scale that human employees simply cannot match. This results in faster service delivery and the ability to manage a higher volume of work without increasing the human workforce.

• Cost-Effectiveness: Hiring AI as fractional employees reduces the need for additional full-time staff, leading to significant cost savings. These funds can be redirected to other critical areas, such as community outreach or program development.

• Reduced Burnout: By offloading repetitive and time-consuming tasks to AI, human employees can focus on more meaningful work, reducing burnout and improving job satisfaction.

• Timely Answers: AI’s ability to handle routine inquiries around the clock ensures that residents receive timely responses, improving public satisfaction and trust in government services.

A Balanced Future

The future of work in government does not lie in replacing human employees with AI but in finding the right balance between human and AI capabilities. By hiring agentic AI as fractional employees, county governments can optimize their operations, deliver better services to their residents, and empower their human workforce to do what they do best—serve the community with creativity, empathy, and dedication.

As technology continues to evolve, the key will be to integrate AI in a way that enhances, rather than diminishes, the human element of public service. In this balanced approach, both AI and human employees can thrive, working together to meet the growing needs of our communities.

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