IT department urges citywide approach to AI oversight

Waltham’s municipal employees are starting to use artificial intelligence tools in their work, but IT director Donald Aucoin says the city’s still in the “infancy stages” of using AI. 

As he anticipates Waltham expanding its AI use, Aucoin warns that city leaders need to implement significant oversight and direction beyond what his own department can provide.

Aucoin made these comments at the City Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting this week, where he discussed how Waltham currently uses and regulates AI tools. He also advised what new policies it may need going forward.

So far, Aucoin said, not all city employees are using AI. Most AI use is through “assistance” tools to help with tasks such as writing or editing — for example, in writing police reports. Some tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, an AI assistant, are off-limits to city employees except administrative assistants.

Some departments are using conversational AI for data analysis — for example, the Department of Public Works uses it to predict flooding risks and infrastructure needs. 

Aucoin said the city is exploring potential uses, including in the municipal hiring process. While the Police Department already uses AI-powered software from QED to analyze data and inform policing decisions, he said the department was looking into purchasing more powerful hardware to use other AI tools.

Many of Waltham’s municipal software tools are designed by third-party vendors, and Aucoin said AI is an increasingly popular buzzword among software companies.  

“There isn’t a piece of software right now that isn’t claiming to be implementing some form of AI,” he said, “Right now, it’s like the Wild West.”

Councilors asked Aucoin to provide a full list of all software used in the city that contains AI integrations, as well as any departmental policies that regulate software purchases. The council temporarily tabled the subject so councilors could discuss their concerns and priorities with other city officials.

Challenges in the road ahead

As he sees AI use expand, one of Aucoin’s central concerns is defending against AI-assisted cyberattacks. He said Waltham’s digital assets are well-protected and that he frequently compares notes with other municipalities, adding that he isn’t currently worried about a cybersecurity incident like the one that temporarily shut down Everett’s city hall in early September. 

He told councilors he was working with state officials to get Waltham access to security programs that would use AI to carry out constant security audits of the city’s web assets.

Aucoin said he was also very concerned about data security and access issues. However, Waltham doesn’t appear to have a clear policy on how AI tools can use and store data. When Councilor-at-Large Tim King asked if the city considered running any AI-powered tools on a local server to avoid information leaving the city through training data, Aucoin wasn’t able to provide a clear answer.

Aucoin emphasized that the IT Department doesn’t vet other departments’ software purchases. “I’m not always the one evaluating this software. We have multiple departments. They have very specific tasks. Many times, I’m not [as] aware of these tasks and requirements as they are.” 

Although he and other department heads have been reading about concerns and best practices for using AI, Aucoin said Waltham doesn’t have central policies regulating AI safety or software purchases.

Going forward, Aucoin said he would like to see a clear AI policy and better oversight, but argued his department wouldn’t have the capacity to provide it, saying it needs to focus on the city’s cybersecurity and keeping its digital infrastructure up to date.

To represent the city’s various needs and priorities, Aucoin suggested the city assemble a “steering committee” composed of members from across city departments to set policies and provide oversight. At the suggestion of a conversational AI program, he recommended including representatives from the city’s Finance and HR Departments.

“[AI regulation] is a challenge and a question I don’t want to face alone,” said Aucoin. “I think that’s the responsibility of the community and particularly its leaders. That involves funding; it involves backing and support, and it involves staffing.”

“This isn’t an IT problem. This is a global, federal, state and local problem. It’s a community problem.”