The Territorial Authority Transformed Its Citizen Services by Implementing AI

A I • Jan 18,2025

Summary:

The AI solution enhanced access to information, improved user experience, and optimized resource allocation, enabling the council to better serve its community.

Client: 

South Waikato District Council (SWDC) is the territorial authority for the South Waikato District in New Zealand. Founded in 1989, the council acts as the governing body for the district, overseeing local infrastructure, public services and regulatory functions.

Problem Statement: 

The SWDC faced challenges in providing timely and accurate information to citizens and employees. Data was siloed across repositories, making it difficult to locate answers, sometimes requiring hours or even days to resolve queries. The council’s initial attempt to develop a virtual assistant failed due to technical limitations and inconsistent results. So the SWDC called upon IBM to help.

 

Results: 

  • 91.5% accuracy validated across 300 test questions.
  • Enhanced user interactions with natural language queries and conversational search.
  • Improved functionality through document filtering with Watson Discovery.
  • Increased transparency with integrated document URLs for deeper insights.
  • Reduced employee workload, allowing resources to focus on community initiatives.

AI Solution Overview:

IBM collaborated with the council to develop a proof of concept (POC) for a smart virtual assistant. This innovative solution integrates IBM® watsonx.ai™, IBM watsonx™ Assistant, and IBM Watson® Discovery to deliver a robust and intelligent system. 

The assistant leverages watsonx.ai to enhance the advanced intelligence features of watsonx Assistant, enabling it to provide precise and accurate answers to user queries. Additionally, Watson Discovery equips the solution with powerful data discovery capabilities, allowing it to efficiently search through archival materials and hard-to-access documents to uncover the required information.

With its foundation in generative AI and a focus on transparency, IBM and the council emphasized maintaining clarity and trust in every user interaction during the development process.

References: 

  1. New virtual assistant gets it right with IBM watsonx. https://www.ibm.com/case-studies/south-waikato-district-council 

Industry: Public Sector (Local Government)

Vendor: IBM

Client: South Waikato District Council

 

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