Little Rock unveils a new AI policy to safeguard employee and resident data while enhancing efficiency in city operations, amid its evolution.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The City of Little Rock is rolling out a new artificial intelligence (AI) policy aimed at protecting both employees and residents as AI technology continues to expand across city operations.
City leaders say the policy is designed to create clear guidelines for how AI tools can be used safely and responsibly while preventing sensitive information from being exposed.
“We wanted to make sure that we protected ourselves internally and externally from a security standpoint and also not overshare or release personally identifiable information,” said Marquis Willis, the city’s chief data officer.
The policy comes as the city of Little Rock continues to move the city forward as a catalyst in the new South through the use of AI technology.
“We’re going to be looking at the policy ad nauseam because AI is changing so rapidly, so we have to keep up with the time,” Willis said.
Despite the evolution of artificial intelligence, city leaders say the technology is already improving efficiency and productivity in Little Rock.
One example is the city’s Real Time Crime Center, where AI-powered tools assist officers by reading license plates and tracking vehicles throughout the city.
“We're able, through AI, to read license plates, check and see what's going on throughout the city, if there was an incident that occurred, and not necessarily engage in a police chase, if we need to at a busy residential time,” Willis said.
The city is also partnering with outside organizations to develop a localized large language model, or LLM, similar to systems like ChatGPT and Gemini.
Officials say the software will be specifically for Little Rock and could eventually help people better understand city ordinances, zoning requirements, and permit rules using plain language.
“This LLM will be able to turn around and give you a real answer that says yes, you can add a structure to the back of your home based on a specific ordinance and here are the steps to do so,” Willis said.
Willis emphasized that artificial intelligence will not replace human decision-making within city government.
He said city employees will continue making these decisions while safeguards are built into AI systems to reduce bias and prevent sensitive data from being leaked or improperly entered into platforms.
“The tools themselves are never the bad thing,” Willis said. “However, sometimes the tools can be used for nefarious purposes, and we want to safeguard against that as much as possible.”
City leaders say the overall goal of the policy is to protect employee data internally while ensuring resident information is handled safely and securely.