The City of Memphis is revolutionising public services and driving value in local government by adopting new technologies like artificial intelligence ( AI )
CITY OF MEMPHIS
The City of Memphis is revolutionising public services and driving value in local government by adopting new technologies like artificial intelligence ( AI )
Usually , when we speak with a leader in the field of technology or cybersecurity , the end goal is invariably profit . No matter how innovative a company might be , how groundbreaking a new product or solution , the underlying motivation is to drive profit and increase market share .
Yet when I speak with Augustine Boateng , Interim Chief Information Officer for the City of Memphis , it is a dedication to public service that shines through more than anything else . Everything that the city does from a technology and IT security perspective is done with the greater good in mind . There is no CEO here ; just a directly elected mayor . There is no board of directors ; the mayor answers only to taxpayers . There is no shareholder dividend ; just positive outcomes .
“ Public servants are in this line of work for the love of the job ,” Boateng tells me from his office inside City Hall . “ It ’ s the sense of seeing your accomplishments , and knowing that I am helping somebody even if they don ’ t themselves know it .”
In today ’ s post-COVID economy , the public sector is reflecting on how it can remain competitive in the labour market . Workers want flexibility and seem inclined to change jobs more frequently than previous generations when they don ’ t get it . When the
114 January 2024