Louisville, Ky., appoints AI chief, announces AI permitting pilot

Louisville, Kentucky, Mayor Craig Greenberg on Wednesday announced the appointment of the city’s first chief artificial intelligence officer, and a pilot program that aims to use AI to improve permitting processes.

Pamela McKnight, who spent nearly three decades at Intel, has assumed the new role. Adding the new position, Greenberg said during a press conference Wednesday, is a big step in how the city looks to responsibly use AI to better serve residents.

McKnight will head up the city’s newly established Office of Artificial Intelligence, leading efforts to explore how AI can improve resident services, increase efficiency and support smarter decision-making while bolstering transparency and public trust in Louisville’s Metro Government, Greenberg continued.

The new pilot program will focus on using AI to streamline permitting and development processes, with help from the AI startup Govstream.ai.

“As we continue to move Louisville forward in a new direction, we’re using the power of technology to update antiquated systems and processes to better serve people who rely on us to get the job done,” Greenberg said in a news release. “By responsibly leveraging AI, we can use the data we have to alleviate pain points that cause people delays – costing them time and money. This is a huge step forward in making our city more effective, efficient and responsive.”

The Govstream.ai pilot project will focus on modernizing and improving the city’s building and remodeling permitting processes. According to the city, the current process can be “unpredictable and cause delays, leading to frustration for those seeking to complete projects on time and on budget.”

According to the announcement, the company’s AI-powered smart assistants and its Conversational Workflow platform will ingest the city’s codes, regulations, spatial data and permit records to help local leaders identify problems that cause bottlenecks. The city said the technology will also help to enhance transparency throughout all stages of the permitting process — from inquiries to applications, reviews and approvals — and help clear backlogs, giving residents and builders fast, predictable feedback and approvals.

“This partnership with Govstream.ai demonstrates how cities can move from AI theory to practical, measurable impact,” Chris Seidt, Louisville’s chief information officer, said in the release. “By focusing on real-world challenges like permitting, we’ll learn how to deploy AI that amplifies human expertise and keeps our staff focused on the judgment-driven work only they can do.”