County IT proposes contracted AI chatbot for redesigned website after in‑house prototype issues
Brazos County IT told commissioners it tested an in-house chatbot prototype ('Pepper') but plans to contract a third-party AI search/chat vendor for the county website to avoid ongoing maintenance and misinformation risks; the proposal is for a one‑year contract with usage tracking.
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Ken Smith, the county’s Digital Services Officer, told Commissioners the county experimented with an in-house AI chatbot called "Pepper" but concluded it was not practical to maintain. He said the team built a prototype but had to suspend it when it provided incorrect answers and repeatedly insisted on wrong information: “I lovingly named it Pepper after my, former dog,” Ken said while explaining the experiment and why a paid vendor is being considered.
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