Milwaukee Ald. Rainey: Milwaukee must be courageous enough to embrace new technology

A presentation today by Advancing AI Wisconsin laid out both challenges and opportunities for our great city, the region and the state as a whole.

 

First off, I am grateful AAIW accepted my invitation to present to the Finance and Personnel Committee in which co-founder Oliver Buechse said, quite frankly, Wisconsin does not appear to be prepared for the wave of change coming our way. Artificial intelligence and digital disruption technology such as block chain technology, internet of things and 5G are either here or on-the-horizon.

 

Secondly, the Common Council and I have a two-part opportunity: creating the proper policies related to this technology and implementing its usage to better our services, therefore increasing the quality of life for our constituents. This technology can provide – among other things –increased access to public information, optimization of police patrols, use of police drones for public safety and sensor-based road maintenance.

 

Thirdly, AI and digital disruption technology are beneficial not only to government, but also to the private sector. Entrepreneurs have a ground floor opportunity in Milwaukee with these technologies, while existing companies should support their inception. I, myself, would love to see Milwaukee become a major player in the currently-underway Fourth Industrial Revolution, which focuses on robotization.

 

In his remarks, Mr. Buesche also said if we don’t learn how to ride this wave, the wave will go over us. I urge my fellow policy makers, entrepreneurs and citizens to embrace artificial intelligence and digital disruption to ensure that does not happen.