AI-Assisted Tool for Monitoring and Comparing Regional Development

The goal of the project, funded by the Association of Finnish Cities and Municipalities and the Municipal Foundation, was to develop and test an AI-assisted tool that analyses the current state of various regional development themes and compares the development of municipalities.

The project was implemented by MDI (part of FCG), with the technical execution of the AI platform handled by Robonomist Ltd. During the project, a limited pilot version of the tool was first be developed in collaboration with the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and a few pilot municipalities to explore AI utilisation.

The objectives of the project were: 1) To provide insights into the use of AI and 2) To develop an experimental “Municipal Dashboard Bot”, an AI tool for monitoring and comparing the development status of municipalities and regions. This development initiative provided municipalities with information on the potential of AI in terms of compiling statistical data (e.g., to support expert work and advocacy). The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities and municipalities had access to the test environment and pilot tool. The test group was expanded gradually in phases.

A concise report was produced and made publicly available via the Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities. The report included: Key insights and observations about utilising AI for the intended purpose. A summary of major use cases, including tasks given to the AI, questions, answers related to analysing the current state, and user feedback on the tool’s applicability (where it works and where it does not).
Critical lessons for municipalities regarding AI utilisation: what was learned, potential pitfalls to consider, and the requirements for AI to support expert work and decision-making in municipalities.