Oakland's AI Working Group Unveils AI Projects & No-Cost Pilot Program

Published on November 03, 2025

150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza building

The City of Oakland has published an innovative Request for Information (RFI) inviting AI companies and researchers to submit ideas to help improve public services with AI. This initiative is designed to experiment with AI tools and technologies on specific City-identified challenges across the entire organization.

The City’s AI Working Group (“AIWG”), established in 2024, has been the driving force behind the City’s responsible AI journey. Over the past year, this cross-departmental team has developed a comprehensive AI Equity Statement(PDF, 113KB) to guide all AI initiatives. Separately, the AIWG has started piloting Microsoft Copilot 365 as a personal assistant for staff and studying its impacts through a graduate research project funded by Northeastern University Oakland (Mills College).

Alongside these efforts, the AIWG is testing a robust data governance program and data classification policy that automatically blocks sensitive data from being accessed by AI tools and systems. This responsible approach to AI deployment means that every pilot project is built on a foundation of security and privacy and rooted in equity.

This RFI marks a major milestone for the AIWG, expanding its efforts from foundational policy and data protection work to a Citywide call for innovative AI solutions.

“We've identified real opportunities where AI can help make it easier for Oaklanders to access City services. This request for information invites innovative partners to pilot these solutions with us,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said. “We're taking a deliberate approach that ensures any technology we adopt has appropriate guardrails, serves our community equitably and strengthens our ability to serve Oakland's residents.”

“Convening a group representing every City department with ITD Director, Tony Batalla has allowed us to take a comprehensive approach to addressing people’s concerns about this emerging technology while tapping into their creativity and wisdom about their own department’s mission in serving Oaklanders.” added Deputy City Administrator, Joe DeVries who co-leads the AI Working Group.

Unlocking the Potential of AI: 30 Use Cases to Transform City Life

The AIWG has published 30 innovative use cases where AI has the potential to deliver real impact for residents and City staff. These pilots are designed to tackle everyday challenges and unlock new possibilities across all City operations, including:

  • Digital Accessibility: AI tools that scan and auto-fix digital documents for ADA compliance, ensuring equitable access for people with disabilities.
  • Civic Engagement: Real-time accessibility tools for public meetings, including live captions, ASL avatars, and multilingual summaries.
  • Virtual Assistants: Public-facing chatbots to help residents navigate city services, permits, and applications—making government more accessible and responsive.
  • Public Safety: AI-powered review of body-worn camera footage to support investigations and improve transparency.
  • Language Justice: Mobile interpreter assistants and AI plugins for real-time translation in city meetings, breaking down language barriers.
  • Smart Operations: Predictive analytics for staff scheduling, automated reminders for payroll and grants, and AI-driven contract compliance tracking.
  • Community Impact: Autonomous drones for wildfire awareness, AI monitoring for illegal dumping, and digital twins for smarter city planning.
  • Transparency & Ethics: Financial integrity analyzers to detect fraud in campaign finance, and secure evidence timeline builders for ethics investigations.

Each pilot project will be structured to deliver measurable benefits: whether it’s saving time, improving access, boosting transparency, or supporting underserved communities.

Selected partners will work with the City for a 16-week pilot period at no cost, receiving direct feedback from City staff and the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions work in a real-world government setting. Successful pilots may lead to future procurement opportunities.

How to Apply

  • Submission Deadline: Friday, November 30, 2025, by 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time
  • Submission Email: Oak-AI-Team@oaklandca.gov
  • Notification Date: Responders will be notified of potential future discussions by January 1, 2026.

Proposals should include a respondent profile, selected use case(s), a detailed solution plan, success metrics, and supporting materials. For full details and the complete RFI document, visit:

Learn more about the AI Pilot Program and access the full document

 

This document was partially generated by Microsoft 365 Copilot and edited by City Staff.

 

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