California city to use agentic AI to streamline permitting
Lancaster, California, a small city north of Los Angeles, is set to modernize its permitting process and use an artificial intelligence-powered permitting platform from the AI company Labrynth.
The city will be one of the first municipalities in the country to use the software, which the company said in a news release Wednesday will help the city fast-track approvals, eliminate bottlenecks and improve permitting speed, transparency and economic readiness.
According to a press release, the deployment will begin in phases, starting with permitting optimization using agentic AI workflows to automate the screening of applications. Agentic AI is defined as software that is permitted some degree of autonomy in decision-making.
From there, the software will validate that permit requirements have been met, flag missing components and dynamically guide applicants through improving them.
According to the release, the platform helps streamline permitting processes, improves transparency and saves time. By automating application validation, Labrynth enables faster decisions and fewer delays across permitting workflows, especially for development, zoning and licensing approvals.
Labrynth said it selected Lancaster as its first municipal partner because of its readiness to adopt newer technologies, and its commitment to cutting red tape across high-impact sectors like housing, energy and infrastructure. Lancaster Mayor R. Rex Parris said the project will help position the city as a leader in smart governance and tech innovation.
“Lancaster has always been a city that sees possibility where others see roadblocks,” Parris said in a news release. “Our partnership with Labrynth is a testament to that spirit. By leveraging Labrynth’s AI-powered platform, we’re not just keeping up with the future — we’re shaping it. Together, we’re transforming regulatory complexity into an engine for economic growth, speeding up innovation and delivering better services for our residents and businesses. This collaboration sets a new standard for how cities can lead, adapt and unlock opportunity in a fast-changing world.”
