The document describes a proposed chat bot called CityBot that municipalities can install to allow constituents to access public services, engage with public meetings, and report issues via messaging platforms. It would handle common inquiries about meetings, services, and facilities via Facebook Messenger. The bot could provide instant answers to repetitive requests and engage more constituents where they spend time online. Over time, it could develop constituent lists and lead new forms of digital civic engagement beyond what private companies currently offer. No local governments currently have such a bot, making this an innovative new approach.

1. CityBot

2. New Brunswick Office of Innovation Challenge
Develop a chat bot that municipalities can easily install to
allow constituents:
1. public access to municipal services
2. public engagement in public meetings
3. reporting of issues

3. Engage constituents where they are:
1. 60% of Americans are on Facebook
Messenger in 2015*
2. Messaging apps occupy 91% of all
time spent on mobile phones in 2015**
* http://www.theverge.com/2015/9/4/9264069/facebook-messenger-google-youtube-apps
** https://qz.com/596981/whatsapp-is-finally-making-a-key-move-that-will-change-how-we-use-chat/

4. Facebook Messenger bots can give answers to
someone asking…
1. … when public meetings are
2. … about city services
3. … what facilities they can contact

6. Copy the Project Launch the Bot! Connect to Facebook

7. Short-term Impact
Handle repetitive requests and give constituents
instant answers!
Medium-term Impact
Develop lists of constituents that engage with the bot
Long-term Impact
Lead a new era of engagement that the private sector
hasn’t event touched

8. Does any local gov have a bot? Nope, it’s very new.

12. Always learning!

13. Always learning!

14. Possible next steps:
1. Handle new interfaces (Alexa)
2. Notifications (Slack)
3. Follow up/multi-part questions
4. Pass on pictures/location

15. It’s live!

16. Github Repo:
https://github.com/UnitedWorks/CityBot
Natural Language Processing Model (must login):
https://wit.ai/youmustfight/citybot
Send CityBot a message on FB Messenger!
https://www.messenger.com/t/978048128997086