Polling shows public confidence in AI remains strong, but as Emma Ockelford notes, there is now a clearer understanding of what it takes to deliver AI at scale, especially in financially and operationally pressured environments.
Back in 2024, artificial intelligence felt like a promising opportunity for local government. By 2025, that promise had hardened into confidence – pilots were under way, leaders spoke of tangible time savings and the conversation shifted from possibility to practicality.
Then 2026 arrived and something unexpected happened: the scores dipped.
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