Suffolk says AI-powered assistant helps answer more of residents' questions

A Suffolk County pilot program is using "agentic AI" to answer calls phoned to the Consumer Affairs Division, one of the first ways artificial intelligence has been integrated into municipal government.

The pilot program, which began in late October, reduced the number of calls that otherwise went to voicemail or other automated responses by about 50% and the technology independently resolved an average of about 200 calls per week, according to Hassan Ahmed, deputy commissioner of the Department of Information Technology.

"We are definitely very committed to emerging technologies here at the county," Ahmed said Wednesday at the Suffolk Legislature’s Government Operations Committee as part of an overview of the department.

County officials did not respond to further questions on the pilot program, such as the cost to implement it, whether it would be expanded to other departments and how the county will evaluate its effectiveness.

Ahmed said artificial intelligence has a "limited" use so far in county government, such as through the "call center agentic AI" known as Cora. Agentic AI differs from chatbots like the original ChatGPT by its ability "to take actions autonomously on a person’s behalf," according to the Associated Press.

A caller who dials the number for the county's Division of Consumer Affairs is now greeted with a woman’s voice saying, "Hello, thanks for calling Suffolk County Consumer Affairs."

The first prompt is for a preferred language. The AI then greets the caller again by introducing itself as "Cora, your virtual assistant."

The initial prompt says the virtual assistant can provide general information and reminds the caller to consult "qualified professionals" for specific advice.

The technology is more advanced than typical automated responses many residents might be used to, Ahmed said, by prompting the caller to press a button for information meant to "filter and guide" calls to a correct resource.

The Consumer Affairs Division has a licensing unit for businesses to obtain and renew licenses and a complaints unit that enforces consumer protection laws, among other responsibilities.

Ahmed did not elaborate on any feedback the county has received from residents using the virtual assistant.

Several lawmakers cautioned against technology ultimately replacing human jobs. Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo (R-Holtsville) said the county workforce is "essential" and he wants to make sure they’re not being "undercut."

Ahmed said his department agreed and views the technology as an "ancillary benefit, but not necessarily a replacement to particular work that’s being done in the county."

He said the call center technology is particularly beneficial during off-hours and holidays to assist people.

"I think that’s where our agentic AI shines," he said.

Ahmed said artificial intelligence can also assist with ongoing digitization efforts across county departments.

"We’ve been trying to look at creating document intelligence applications," he said, which can "streamline querying the data that’s being effectively scanned."

A 2022 cyberattack cost Suffolk taxpayers at least $25 million, Newsday has reported.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister joined Newsday in 2022 and covers Suffolk County government and politics. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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