SHAWANO, WI- Shawano County is taking its first step into artificial intelligence, launching a six-month trial to explore how the technology could improve both internal operations and public services.
Technology Services Director Matt Hietpas says the county’s goal is simple: keep pace with surrounding counties that have already begun integrating AI tools into their workflow.
“We’re just looking so we don’t fall behind,” Hietpas said. “We want to increase the efficiency of our employees and make it easier for the public to interact with us.”
One of the key benefits, he said, could be improving how residents access information online. Enhanced search tools, simplified navigation, and faster access to documents are among the possibilities the county hopes to evaluate.
“It could make things much more simplified for searching,” Hietpas said. “We’re seeing other counties doing this, and we want Shawano County moving at the same pace. We want policies in place, and we want these tools available for the public and our employees.”
The county has approved a six-month trial period, which Hietpas described as a modest investment designed to measure real-world benefits before committing to anything long term. Hietpas told the Executive Committee on Wednesday that it would be a cost of $9,500for six months, and if they like it, the remaining $6,500 would be included in the Technology Services Department budget.
“This is a trial period, a little bit of an investment, but not a huge one,” he said. “We’ll see how it benefits our county and go from there with the committee.”
County officials are expected to review the results of the pilot next year and determine whether Shawano County will move forward with broader AI implementation.
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