Washington cities are experimenting with Generative AI, but stumble

Governments Embrace AI with Caution, but Policies Lag Behind

Local governments in Bellingham and Everett, Washington have begun incorporating generative AI tools like ChatGPT into daily operations, most notably to draft responses to constituent emails. In one example, a city staffer used ChatGPT to reply to a Bellingham resident’s snow‑plow complaint, adding only four words to the chatbot’s output, a move that felt impersonal and dismissive to the sender. While municipal officials view AI as a means to boost efficiency, many admit that policy development has not kept pace with usage. A nationwide survey found nearly 80% of local and state IT directors are concerned about the absence of clear regulations around AI tools.

Steps Toward Responsible AI. Room for Improvement Remains.

Efforts are underway to bridge the policy gap. Everett is advancing a cautious approach: staff will soon be limited to using Microsoft Copilot - deemed more secure and better integrated with government infrastructure - while ChatGPT will require special exceptions. Bellingham, by contrast, adopts a more permissive stance but is drafting a formal AI policy expected by year’s end. State-level interim guidelines emphasize human review, bias checks, and AI‑origin disclosures; but, local adoption remains inconsistent. With AI’s rapid advance, watchdogs and officials alike voice growing concern for privacy, accuracy, environmental impact, and ethical transparency as these tools embed further into governmental processes.

Read more in KNKX - https://www.knkx.org/government/2025-08-27/washington-state-everett-bellingham-government-officials-embrace-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-policies-catching-up