Memphis IT seeks AI readiness, 3‑1‑1 overhaul and cybersecurity upgrades in FY26 budget

Chief Information Officer Eric Keane told the City Council budget committee on May 14 that the Information Technology division’s FY26 priorities are preparing the city for AI, replacing the unsupported middle layer of the 3‑1‑1 work‑order platform, modernizing cybersecurity and continuing smart‑city infrastructure work.

Keane said the city is “working hard to make that happen” for an AI platform by putting data “in one place that you can trust.” He told the committee the IT team is already using AI in 9‑1‑1 for voice translation and noise recognition and plans heavier use of AI in 3‑1‑1 for case intake, routing and closure.

The city also plans to replace the 10–11‑year‑old work‑order management core of its 3‑1‑1 system, Keane said, and expects to add funding in the operating budget to replace that unsupported software. He described the initiative as a move to a best‑in‑class, closed‑loop platform that can support mobile, chatbot and AI features and that will integrate with enterprise systems such as Oracle.

Keane warned the committee that IT operating costs are being squeezed by software‑as‑a‑service licensing: “a lot of our budget is dedicated towards software licenses,” he said, noting the short‑term inflation of operating costs as the city shifts to cloud SaaS but arguing it is the right long‑term approach. He also described ongoing cybersecurity work that includes penetration testing, simulated phishing exercises and third‑party reviews with private partners.

On enterprise applications, Keane told the committee the city is funded to migrate its on‑prem Oracle infrastructure into Oracle Cloud Infrastructure so systems such as HR and payroll will be consolidated into a single cloud bucket. He said that migration will reduce data synchronization lags and make subsequent AI work easier.

Committee members pressed for timing and funding detail for the 3‑1‑1 improvements; Keane said changes to the public web and mobile “face” for 3‑1‑1 are already rolling out and that broader capability additions are aimed for August–September, with formal work aligned to the new fiscal year starting in July.

Keane and members emphasized the goal of citywide coverage for smart‑city tools, with Keane saying the camera mesh and command center work were not intended to be downtown‑only. He described partnerships (FedEx among them) that provide vendor guidance on what capabilities the city should prioritize.

The committee did not take formal votes on these items during the hearing. Members asked for follow‑up briefings with more specific timelines and cost detail for the 3‑1‑1 replacement, the Oracle migration and AI readiness steps.