Transparency in AI for Smart Cities

Why IT Professionals in City Governments Must Prioritize Citizen Responsibility Over Career Building

In the age of rapidly evolving technology, city governments are increasingly relying on digital tools to manage essential services, streamline operations, and engage with the public. Among the most transformative of these tools is artificial intelligence (AI), which holds the promise of enhancing efficiency, improving decision-making, and transforming the way cities function. However, the integration of these powerful technologies into municipal systems comes with a weighty responsibility—especially for IT professionals who must ensure that their work prioritizes the public good rather than personal career advancement. 

IT professionals employed by cities have a unique role: they are not just technical experts but public servants, whose actions directly affect the lives of the citizens they serve. Fulfilling this role requires more than technical proficiency—it demands a commitment to transparency, accountability, ethical practices, and an unwavering focus on public welfare. When these professionals treat their positions merely as steppingstones in their careers or resume-building exercises, it undermines the fundamental trust between the city and its citizens and jeopardizes the responsible use of technology in governance. 

The Stakes: Public Accountability and Trust 

Public accountability is one of the pillars of democratic governance, and city IT professionals are deeply embedded in this framework. In their day-to-day operations, they manage and implement technologies that can either foster or erode the public’s trust in government. From managing public databases and ensuring cybersecurity to designing systems for more transparent governance, their work is integral to the smooth functioning of cities. 

However, if IT professionals view their work solely as technical tasks without understanding the larger social context, they risk causing unintended harm. For example, artificial intelligence tools, if implemented carelessly, can perpetuate biases or make decisions that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. In this regard, the City of Tempe's Ethical AI Policy serves as a valuable model by embedding the principles of fairness, transparency, and accountability into its framework for AI adoption. This policy is not just a technical guideline; it is a safeguard to protect citizens' rights and ensure that technology serves everyone equitably. 

Moreover, without a sense of responsibility towards citizens, IT professionals might overlook critical considerations, such as the transparency of the technologies they implement. Transparency builds trust. Cities like New York City, through their AI Action Plan, have taken significant strides to ensure that AI tools used by municipal agencies are governed with transparency, and that the public is kept informed of how these tools function and are applied. This kind of open governance helps ensure that the public can hold the city accountable for its decisions. 

Community Impact: Decisions with Lasting Consequences 

The choices IT professionals make have long-term consequences for the entire community. When these professionals focus solely on efficiency or career advancement, they can lose sight of the broader implications of their work. One of the clearest examples of this is in the realm of data privacy. City databases are treasure troves of sensitive information—names, addresses, healthcare details, and more. If managed poorly, these systems can be hacked or misused, resulting in widespread privacy violations that erode public trust and harm the very people the city serves. 

Seattle's Interim Policy on Generative AI highlights the importance of carefully considering privacy risks when implementing new technologies. Seattle IT staff are explicitly instructed to avoid submitting sensitive or regulated data into AI systems until the city has fully evaluated the technology. This shows that while innovation is important, safeguarding citizens’ privacy must remain the top priority. 

Furthermore, the deployment of AI systems can significantly shape community interactions. For instance, algorithms used in public services, such as housing or policing, may unintentionally perpetuate biases if not properly calibrated. IT professionals must understand these risks and work to mitigate them from the outset. The City of San José, in its AI guidelines, mandates that staff fact-check AI-generated outputs and ensure they are free from biases that could exacerbate social inequities. In this way, IT professionals are not just technical operators—they are stewards of social justice within their communities. 

Inclusivity and Equity: Bridging Digital Divides 

Municipal IT professionals have a responsibility to ensure that the technologies they implement benefit all citizens, especially those from underserved and marginalized communities. This includes addressing the digital divide, ensuring that everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status, has access to essential services and that these services are designed with inclusivity in mind. 

Cities like Aurora, Illinois, have explored how AI can be used to bridge the digital divide, at one point considering providing free public Wi-Fi and other technological initiatives aimed at ensuring that all citizens have access to the benefits of modern technology. However, this has not come to fruition over a decade later.  

If IT professionals fail to take the needs of all citizens into account, their efforts can unintentionally widen these divides. For example, a digital service that is too complex for certain populations, such as the elderly or those with limited technological literacy, can disenfranchise them from city services. 

By working directly with community members to understand their needs and limitations, IT professionals can ensure that technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier. Public meetings, citizen engagement forums, and transparent communication channels are essential tools in this process. Public meetings, in particular, provide a platform for citizens to voice their concerns and influence how technology is implemented. 

The Ethical Use of Technology 

With great power comes great responsibility. The technologies that city IT professionals manage—especially AI—have profound implications for how cities operate and how citizens experience public services. These professionals must be equipped not only with technical expertise but with a strong ethical compass. As AI systems increasingly drive decision-making in cities, it is essential that IT professionals understand the potential risks, including bias, privacy violations, and inequitable outcomes. Ethical frameworks, like those developed by New York City and Seattle, offer a guide for responsible technology use in the public sector. 

The Role of Citizens in Ensuring Accountability 

While IT professionals bear the primary responsibility for ethical technology implementation, citizens also have an important role to play in holding their governments accountable. The responsibility of citizens extends beyond voting or attending public meetings—it involves actively participating in the development of policies and demanding transparency from city officials. 

Citizens should be empowered to ask questions about how AI and other technologies are being used in their communities. They should demand clear explanations of how decisions are made and how data is being used. Transparency reports, such as the ones New York City provides regarding its AI tools, are an excellent way for citizens to stay informed. By staying engaged, citizens ensure that technology serves their needs and does not become a tool of exclusion or inequality. 

In addition, citizens can advocate for inclusive public participation in the development of technology policies. For example, as San José has done, cities can establish working groups where citizens and city officials collaborate to shape AI guidelines. This participatory approach helps ensure that the voices of all community members are heard, leading to better, more equitable outcomes. 

A Collaborative Future 

For cities to fully harness the potential of technology in an ethical and inclusive way, IT professionals must see themselves as more than just tech workers—they are public servants with a duty to the citizens they serve. Their actions must be guided by principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness. At the same time, citizens must take an active role in demanding that their cities adopt and implement technology responsibly. 

Together, citizens and IT professionals can create a future where technology serves the public good, enhances transparency, and builds a more inclusive and equitable society. This collaborative approach is the only way to ensure that the smart cities of tomorrow truly work for everyone. 

Disclaimer: This article was collaboratively written by Jim Schweizer and Michael Mantzke, Anthropic’s Sonnet 3.5, and an AI assistant created using ChatGPT-4 technology. The AI contributed by drafting and organizing ideas, creating the stock image, while the human authors prompt engineered the content and ensured its accuracy and relevance.