You’ve heard it before: the robots are coming, and they are ready to work. But how can counties put artificial intelligence (AI) to work for them? That’s what 2017 MACo Summer Conference attendees learned at the session, Will Your Next County Employee be…a Robot? on Thursday, August 17, from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm.

Jason Michael Perry, Vice President of Engineering for Baltimore-based Mindgrub Technologies, opened the session by discussing how counties can take advantage of artificial intelligence. Mindgrub started building robots this year.

Steve Kuciemba of WSP, USA drove home the advantages of automated technology by discussing the advent of driverless vehicles. Kuciemba is a national leader in intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automated vehicle policy, with 30 years of leadership in the ITS field in both the public and private sectors.

AI can go airborne, too. Brent Klavon of Aviation Systems Engineering Company showed how drones can assist county governments with surveillance, security, inspections, and more.

On behalf of the National Association of Counties, Doctor Alan Shark, Executive Director and CEO of Public Technology Institute brought the session home to county governments by focusing on how new technology benefits them specifically. He is a highly recognized leader in technology applications for local government. He is the author of the textbooks Technology & Public Management and 7 Trends That Will Transform Local Government Through Technology, and is co-author of the book Web 2.0 Civic Media in Action, and an author and Executive Editor of CIO Leadership for City & County Government, CIO Leadership for Public Safety Communications, and The Digital Journey in K-12 Education, among many others. Doctor Shark joined the panel to demonstrate how county governments can best harness the power of automation.

The session was moderated by the Honorable Jeff Ghrist of the Maryland House of Delegates.