Piedmont staff outline AI policy roadmap; deputy city clerk urges cautious, practical rollout

Deputy City Clerk Lisa Argue presented the results of an Alameda County Leadership Academy project on AI in local government and recommended steps for a city AI policy. Argue summarized case studies (San Jose and Dublin), defined AI using the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020, and urged the council to require operational readiness—clean data, legal and privacy review, stakeholder buy‑in and procurement clauses tailored to AI.

Argue warned that many chatbots are not truly AI and that inaccurate generated responses are a key risk: "Most government chatbots are not true AI," she said, and urged a staged approach that starts with internal efficiency gains and vendor choices that are suited to public‑sector needs. She said a staff survey found roughly half of responding city employees already use AI tools, often without formal guidance, which argues for a clear policy and staff training.

Council members debated whether a single umbrella policy or departmental chapters would be best, stressed generative‑AI guardrails and vendor selection, and suggested a study session before adopting formal rules. City Administrator Rosanna and Argue said draft policies will separate general AI use from generative AI and recommended a cross‑disciplinary work group including IT and legal staff. The discussion concluded with staff commitment to return with a policy framework and suggested next steps.