New C3 AI application aims to help government apply GenAI
The application will help contact centers find information about health benefits and real estate. The vendor introduced the new application with Google Cloud.
As generative AI technology becomes more pervasive, many vendors are working to bring it to government agencies. Among those vendors is C3 AI, which introduced a new GenAI application for government agencies on July 15.
C3 Generative AI for Government Programs helps federal, state, and local governments deliver information to the public about programs, including healthcare, employment and financial assistance. The application helps members of the public find answers with a search and chat interface, reducing the number of call inquiries, according to C3 AI.
C3 AI introduced the application with Google Cloud for Government for local and national agencies around the world.
The application includes enterprise-level security, access controls and full traceability, the vendor added.
C3 AI's new generative AI application is a useful test case, Futurum Group analyst Bob Sutor said.
How government agencies apply GenAI
Many government organizations are still in the discovery phase about generative AI, so applications such as these can be helpful, Sutor said.
"Beyond generation from text, this will make it much easier for several government agencies to get better notations of the data they have," he said.
He added that many government agencies have huge amounts of data, and they can better use that data with AI technology.
This application will help government agencies provide their constituents a place where they can easily find their answer to important questions without searching multiple locations, he added.
"This is a natural application of generative AI," said Tom Siebel, C3 AI's CEO and chairman.
The application can be used to find information about health benefits such as the Affordable Care Act and home appraisals.
Users can ask questions in 131 languages and receive answers in those languages.
Some challenges
Offering applications like these is the first step toward helping government organizations use generative AI, however, it doesn't come without challenges.
One problem is ensuring consumers are aware the services and applications are available, Sutor said.
Beyond generation from text, this will make it much easier for several government agencies to get better notations of the data they have.
Bob SutorAnalyst, Futurum Group
For most government agencies, the application will first be used by contact center agents taking consumer calls before it's made available to consumers, Siebel said.
The application will reduce call volumes and wait times, giving consumers a better experience, C3 AI said.
As with all generative AI applications, hallucinations are an omnipresent threat.
But C3 AI said the application doesn't produce hallucinated responses.
While that can't be validated, C3 AI provides a level of transparency because it shows the original sources of the application's answers. That should provide confidence to users, Sutor said.
Another challenge is the government's ability to pay for such generative AI software.
"Funding for these programs is going to be essential," Sutor continued. He added that if state agencies adopt such applications first, it can spread to federal agencies.
Currently, C3 AI is working with several states, including Connecticut and New Jersey. Government agencies that want to try the application can do so for a low entry fee and trial period, then continue for a base annual fee starting at $20,000 and ranging to $500,000.
Esther Ajao is a TechTarget Editorial news writer and podcast host covering artificial intelligence software and systems.
