Local government exists to solve problems people can’t solvealone. We pave streets, run libraries, and process permits — but we alsoconnect people to possibility. Every interaction is a chance to make life alittle easier, faster, and fairer.

Today, a new generation of tools — agentic AIsystems that can perceive, reason, and act — gives us a way to serveresidents proactively. These “agents” can understand intent, carry out tasks,and learn from outcomes, operating with clear human oversight.

A paper released in October 2025—The Agentic State:Rethinking Government for the Era of Agentic AI by Ilves, Kilian,Parazzoli, Peixoto, and Velsberg—offers a practical framework for this shift.

It describes moving from doing things right (processefficiency) to doing the right things (outcome effectiveness).This is not about replacing people; it’s about amplifying judgment,accountability, and trust.

From Digital to Agentic

For years, we digitized government — forms online, portals,apps. The next step is systems that act on residents’ behalf.

In several jurisdictions in Europe and the Middle East,citizens can describe a need (“I need help after my house was damaged”) andreceive coordinated assistance across departments — outcome-orientedorchestration rather than app-hopping.

That could mean a resident text-chatting their need andgetting real-time coordination among planning, engineering, and utilities — aseamless experience that builds confidence in government’s ability to act.

The AI Colleague Arrives

In a Brazilian state, an AI agent cut the average analysistime for one financing review process from one year to one week,reducing process staffing needs by 33 positions whilemaintaining oversight. Imagine a “digital teammate” that pre-checks permits,drafts agendas, or routes service requests — so staff can invest more time inempathy, creativity, and problem-solving.

I’ve found that process improvement works best when startedby listening to those closest to the work. Agentic systems can do the same— amplify human insight, not replace it.

Services That Serve Themselves

After a storm, a resident could make one request — andagents could coordinate inspections, debris pickup, and utility restorationautomatically. It’s the difference between citizens navigatinggovernment and government anticipating citizens’ needs,through cross-system integration and outcome-driven orchestration.

Agentic services turn responsiveness into foresight —something every community values.

Policy in Motion

Policy can evolve more dynamically when it’s also machine-readable.Cities can simulate the effects of a fee or zoning change before it takeseffect, ensuring decisions are equitable and evidence-based. Such“policy-as-code” approaches increase transparency while keeping humansaccountable for oversight and fairness.

Trust, Transparency, and Redress

To borrow from popular culture: with great automation comesgreat responsibility. Every automated action should come with an explanation,an appeal path, and a human backstop. Publishing decision logs and maintainingrobust audit and compliance systems are not “nice-to-haves” — they’re essentialto legitimacy.

People don’t trust technology; they trust people whouse it responsibly. Openness and accountability remain the true engines ofinnovation.

Leading the Agentic Workforce

Agents won’t take our jobs — they’ll change them.Employees become supervisors, exception-handlers, and designers of betterprocesses. Building on past improvement teams, we can form teams that serveas “agent guides” — small, cross-boundary collaborations thattest, learn, and scale AI responsibly, ensuring staff and community membershave a voice in how we evolve.

Start Small, Learn Fast

Transformation doesn’t start with massive budgets — itstarts with curiosity. Try an agentic experiment in:

•  Inspections scheduling that adaptsto traffic and weather.

•  Procurement assistants thatvalidate bids within guardrails.

•  Writing Council Reports thatimproves from similar reports and questions.

Each small win builds trust in the larger system. The costof waiting now exceeds the cost of careful experimentation.

Collaboration, Accountability, and Presence for AIInnovation

I’ve learned that leadership in government is about collaboration,accountability, and presence.

•  Collaboration connects expertiseacross silos.

•  Accountability ensures everyinnovation serves residents.

•  Presence — being visible,listening, and learning — reminds people that even as systems evolve, localgovernment remains community-focused.

The Agentic City isn’t a futuristic dream.It’s a practical next step for communities ready to work together, learnquickly, and deliver results that matter.

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