Australian councils are turning AI proof of concepts into real-world solutions—streamlining services, empowering staff, and shaping the future of local government.
Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege of working hands-on with local councils across Australia to help develop AI Proof of Concepts (PoCs), speak at conferences in Adelaide and Melbourne, and co-facilitate AI workshops and roundtables. The energy and enthusiasm from councils is real. AI is no longer a distant possibility – it’s here, and local governments are ready to engage.
The question is no longer "Should we?" but "How do we make it real?"
View the full presentation here:
In partnership with AWS and Arcanum, we’ve delivered AI PoCs for councils from Bendigo to Broken Hill. We’ve explored everything from policy review bots to heritage Q&A assistants, training tools to streamlining parking infringement reviews. The use cases are practical, impactful, and aligned with real challenges: shrinking budgets, growing community expectations, and increasingly complex service delivery environments.
But what really stood out to me – beyond the cool tech – was the willingness of councils to explore, experiment, and collaborate. The AI Pollinator Roundtables we ran brought senior leaders together to unpack opportunities, risks, and governance considerations. During the AI workshops, departments came together to investigate how AI could address everyday challenges, identifying practical ways it could support staff and help streamline their tasks.
So, what have we learned on this AI journey?
First: Start with the problem, not the tech. Councils that picked a clear pain point made the most progress. Whether it was streamlining email responses or speeding up customer query resolutions, success stemmed from having a clear sense of purpose.
Second: Think big, start small – and start now. You don't need a massive budget or a huge AI platform to get started. A small, focussed proof of concept with clear goals can help you build momentum, gain internal buy-in and learn as you go. You don’t need to solve everything on day one.
Here’s the tricky bit: going from PoC to production is hard.
To scale successfully, councils need three things:
- Enterprise-ready tech – No more duct-taped demos. Platforms like SmartGlue (our integration engine) and AI tools like Numa only deliver when they’re secure, scalable, and integrated with council systems.
- Good data and governance – AI is only as good as the information it’s fed. Councils need to invest in data readiness and define clear governance models to manage AI responsibly.
- Change management – This is not just a tech project. Staff engagement, training, and support are critical to adoption. Councils that involved their people early saw higher success rates and fewer surprises.
So, what’s next?
Councils don’t need to have it all figured out. But they do need to get moving. AI can help lighten workloads, unlock knowledge, and improve service delivery – but only if we make the jump from pilot to platform. That takes courage, collaboration, and the right tech stack.
To every council we have worked with on this AI journey - thank you. You’re not just exploring AI – you’re helping shape its role in the public sector. And if your just getting started, remember- think big, start small, start now and reach out. This is only the beginning. Let’s build something great, together.
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Sarah-Jayne Webb is an AI consultant and software developer at Symphony3. She works with local governments across Australia to explore, implement, and scale AI solutions that deliver real community impact.
linkedin.com/in/sarah-jayne-webb | symphony3.com/ai-resources