CITY OF WEST TORRENS

At our most recent BPIN Forum held at the end of last year, our theme was ‘360 Degree Feedback – Connecting Community Engagement, Performance and Innovation’, and one of the Innovation Bites presented came from Dale Drechsler at the City of West Torrens about their latest AI tools.

Due to popular demand, we followed up with Dale to get some more information… 

Image: The City of West Torrens'
AI Assistant

The City of West Torrens has launched two AI chat solutions designed to improve information access and productivity, as explained by the platform’s creator. These tools serve distinct purposes for public users and staff, setting a benchmark for innovation in local government.

Two AI Solutions 

Public AI Assistant - check it out on their website here

  • Who it’s for: Residents seeking quick, reliable answers.
  • How it works: Uses only trusted public website content (webpages, PDFs, policies) and provides clickable citations for verification.
  • Why it matters: Ensures accuracy and transparency.

Compass ChatGPT

  • Who it’s for: Internal staff needing advanced tools.
  • How it works: Combines public content, internal corporate data, and ChatGPT’s broader knowledge. Features include:
    • Internal searches (cwt: prefix).
    • Google integration.
    • Image generation and PowerPoint creation.
    • A Business Case Creation Assistant.
  • Why it matters: Boosts staff productivity with powerful features and reliable data.

Why It Stands Out

  • Verified Content: Ensures accuracy with trusted data and citations.
  • Powerful Tools: From internal searches to Google integration and more.
  • Up to Date: Automated syncing guarantees current information.
  • Professional Standards: Adheres to the Australian Government Style Manual.

What have you done to mitigate the risks of AI hallucinations? *

*An AI ‘hallucination’ is when an AI model generates incorrect or misleading information in response to a prompt it should be able to respond to correctly. The models that underlie Generative AI tools or chatbots don’t actually know anything – they have simply been trained on data to predict a response to a prompt. It will respond regardless of whether it has data relevant to the actual prompt, hence sometimes it will return incorrect information (or even nonsense). This is why fact-checking of important outputs is critical, and why AI tools must be carefully designed.

When you provide ChatGPT with a fixed data store (like we do), and tell it to only answer using that information, the chance of it inventing answers is very small. We have seen instances where it might generate a bad link, but that is about the extent.

Now, for the full ChatGPT 4o that Compass Chat GPT has access to... is a different story. Sure, it could hallucinate when generating an answer based on the ChatGPT training data set. For example, if you ask a generic question like who first landed on the moon. But that is where human interjection is imperative to verify the answer is correct before it being used. This is why training for staff on how to best use the system is important.

Because of this potential for AI hallucination, we have implemented clickable citations (informing users of where information has been utilised to form the response) on our public website. This allows the customer to be directed to the page the answer was generated from to verify the answer if they feel it’s a bit suspicious. Similarly for cwt: prefixed questions on our internal Compass ChatGPT, will always have the citations through to where the answer was generated from.

As we migrated from a fixed chatbot system, we tested heavily the existing questions to check they all were answered correctly. Through this, we log all questions asked and answered to review historic outputs.

How have staff and community embraced this innovation?

Community and staff have embraced it well, with increasing engagement—over 100 daily interactions on the internal chatbot for tasks like email writing. While not everyone has attended the voluntary training or fully explored ChatGPT’s potential to streamline daily work, I’m confident we’ll get them on board in time.

Real Time Examples

Please see below for a real-time example of a full use of Compass ChatGPT, inclusive of the user's input and citations of information sourced.


Question: What event is going to happen at Mellor Park

AI response: The upcoming event at Mellor Park is part of the City of West Torrens' Summer Festival. It is called "Splash!" and will take place on Saturday, 18 January 2025, at Mellor Park in Lockleys. This event is designed for children and their families, featuring activities such as giant water slides, messy mud play, and glitter tattoos. Food, coffee, and ice cream will be available for purchase onsite. Attendees are encouraged to bring bathers, a towel, and a change of clothes

  • 5:0sourceCITATION:Adverts and public notices5:3sourceCITATION:Summer Festival 18 January Splash.

General Information About Mellor Park

Mellor Park is a significant recreational space in Lockleys and also home to the Lockleys and District War Memorial. It serves as a venue for community events and provides a serene environment for reflection and leisure. For more about Mellor Park's history and facilities, please visit the Mellor Park Reserve pagehttps://www.westtorrens.sa.gov.au/Community/Parks-and-playgrounds/Mellor-Park-Reserve

  • 5:17sourceCITATION:Mellor Park Reserve.

Question: We are a CHSP funded Aged Care provider and would like to organize a movie night for our seniors group. We do need access to the kitchen to prepare non alcoholic drinks and some crackers.

Organising a Movie Night for Seniors

To organise a movie night for your seniors group, including the use of a kitchen for preparing non-alcoholic drinks and crackers, you can consider hiring one of the City of West Torrens' community centres. The following centres have kitchen facilities available:

Plympton Community Centre: The kitchen includes stainless steel work surfaces, a double-door refrigerator, and cooking appliances. Kitchen hire costs vary by category:

  • Category A: Free
  • Category B: 10/hour
  • Category C: 15/hour
  • Category D: 7.50/hour5:0Plympton Community Centre
  • CITATION:Plympton Community Centre schedule of facilities and fee schedule B.

Thebarton Community Centre: The kitchen features multiple stoves, refrigerators, and a glasswasher. Costs are:

  • Category A: Free
  • Category B: 10/hour
  • Category C: 15/hour
  • Category D: 7.50/hour5:1Thebarton Community Centre
  • CITATION:Thebarton Community Centre schedule of facilities and fee schedule B.

Apex Park Community Facility: The kitchen includes a six-burner stove, a convection microwave, and a refrigerator. Costs are:

  • Category A: Free
  • Category B: 10/hour
  • Category C: 15/hour
  • Category D: 7.50/hour5:7Apex Park Community Facility 
  • CITATION:Apex Park Community Facility schedule of facilities and fee schedule B.

Determining Your Cost Category

  • The cost categories for hiring are defined as:
  • Category A: Community-based groups offering services without fees.
  • Category B: Community groups offering services with or without fees.
  • Category C: Corporate, government, or private hire.
  • Category D: Not-for-profit organisations or individuals hosting charity or family-style activities5:0Plympton Community Centre 
  • CITATION:Plympton Community Centre schedule of facilities and fee schedule B5:7Apex Park Community Facility CITATION:Apex Park Community Facility schedule of facilities and fee schedule B.

Additional Details

You may need to bring your own supplies, such as tea and coffee, as crockery and cutlery are not provided. Ensure all equipment is delivered and collected within your booking times

  • 5:9 CITATION:Venue hire amenities and facilities CITATION:Venue hire amenities and facilities.

For more information on venue facilities and to book a space, visit the Venue Hire Frequently Asked Questions (https://www.westtorrens.sa.gov.au/Community/Community-centres/Venue-hire-frequently-asked-questions/Venue-hire-amenities-and-facilities) page.

Would you like assistance in selecting a specific venue or completing the booking process?

LG Professionals SA  | 148 Frome Street, Adelaide SA 5000  |  Phone: 08 8224 2080
www.lgprofessionalssa.org.au

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