AI Chatbots Raise New Opportunities and New Questions for Counties

As counties explore chatbot technology, the conversation is increasingly focused on how to deploy these tools responsibly while maintaining public trust.

During the 2026 MACo Summer Conference session, “To Bot or Not To Bot? The Promise and Panic of Chatbots,” panelists examined how counties are using or evaluating chatbot technology to support government operations and improve access to information. Moderated by Delegate Melissa Wells, the discussion focused on the practical applications of chatbots in local government, as well as the policy, legal, and operational considerations that accompany their use.

Victoria Lewis is the Chief of the MC311 Contact Center for Montgomery County and focuses on chatbots as an additional service channel, not a replacement for traditional methods of interacting with government. Montgomery County’s “Monty” chatbot now supports more than 3,000 topics in over 100 languages, helping residents access information while allowing staff to focus on more complex inquiries. The county emphasized accuracy, privacy protections, and maintaining human-centered service delivery.

Ben Yelin, Program Director, Public Policy & External Affairs, University of Maryland Center for Cyber, Health, and Hazard Strategies focused on distinguishing traditional rule-based chatbots from AI-powered systems and highlighted the risks associated with generative AI. He noted that AI chatbots can provide inaccurate information while sounding authoritative, creating unique challenges for governments that residents expect to provide reliable information. He also discussed potential government uses, including constituent services, emergency information, internal operations, and language access.

Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council focused on defining chatbots, consumer adoption, business use cases, and Maryland examples such as Ocean City’s “Marlin” chatbot and Coppin State University’s “Jackson” chatbot. She emphasized how organizations are using chatbots to provide around-the-clock service, personalize interactions, and improve access to information.

More about MACo’s Summer Conference: