The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Thuong (Annie) Bui July 5, 2024

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is no longer just a futuristic idea! It is here, and it is ready to revolutionize how government agencies serve their communities. But are you ready yet?

Similar to other new technologies in the past, e.g. internet, email, big data, or social media, adopting GenAI comes with some significant hurdles as local governments prepare to embrace this digital shift. One of these challenges is the skill gap, which goes hand in hand with concerns about job displacement. Unlike traditional AI, which may require complex programming, GenAI introduces a new skill set: prompt engineering.

To prepare for the AI-ready workforce, instead of competing in a tight job market for specialized prompt engineers, government organizations could consider investing in their current employees by upskilling programs. Just as learning basic office software has become essential, I believe prompt engineering will soon be vital as GenAI becomes the new normal in our daily operations.

How important is prompt engineering in local governments?

Think of GenAI as your new, highly capable personal assistant, ready to assist with your mountain of tasks and solve your problems. However, just like any work relationship, effective communication is the key to success. This is where prompt engineering comes in. This skill enables you to convey instructions clearly, ensuring that your assistant, GenAI, understands you correctly and delivers the desired outcome.

Prompt engineering involves crafting, refining and optimizing contextual inputs that direct GenAI algorithms to produce desired outputs. Proficient prompt engineering skills require organized, critical thinking with a thorough understanding of the underlying principles of model capacities and its tendencies. Mastering this skill can help us to avoid biased results, fabricated information (hallucinations), or generic responses from a wide range of GenAI applications including large language models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude; to image generation tools such as Lensa AI, DALL-E, Midjourney and Stable Diffusion; as well as specialized applications like Microsoft Copilot and Julius AI, among others.

In local governments, where decisions must be timely, data-driven and held to the highest standards of accuracy and accountability, expertise in this skill set is not just beneficialit is essential! By focusing on developing this skill for internal employees through upskilling programs, local governments can equip their staff with the necessary competence to navigate the rapidly evolving GenAI landscape. Moreover, these training initiatives also create a sense of ownership and responsibility among employees towards the ethical use of GenAI tools.

How to create an effective and inclusive upskilling program?

Effective training programs involve more than just collaboration with technology firms and academic institutions to develop content that aligns with organizational needs. They must also create an inclusive environment that caters to all employees, from tech novices to advanced users, through active learning and practical workshops. Here is a detailed five-step guide for implementing upskilling programs in local governments:

Prompt engineering is not merely a technical skill. It is a strategic capability that enhances how local governments interact with and leverage GenAI technologies. By proactively investing in comprehensive upskilling programs and creating a culture of continuous improvement, local governments can ensure that their workforce is well-prepared for the AI era. Now is your turn! Invest in your employees through targeted upskilling in prompt engineering and turn the challenges of today into the achievements of tomorrow.

Authors Bio: Annie Bui is a Doctoral Candidate in Public Administration major, where her research focus on the integration of GenAI in Local Governments. She is the current President of Student Public Administration Association (SPAA) at University of La Verne. At the same time, she works for Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a non-profit organization funded by Small Business Administration, provides zero cost one-on-one consulting services to entrepreneurs for their new and existing businesses.

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Embracing Generative AI in Local Governments: Prompt Engineering and Upskilling - PA TIMES Online | PA TIMES ... - PA Times

West Japan Railways is using a giant humanoid robot to maintain train lines and perform other critical tasks. The 40-feet-tall humanoid robot mounted on a truck has enormous arms, and coke-bottle eyes.

The giant machine is operated by a person who sits in a cockpit on the truck. Its powerful limbs and hands can be operated easily seeing via robots eyes that are equipped with cameras.

Jinki Ittai Co, a robotics technology developer, and Nippon Signal Co, an IT and electricals in infrastructure firm, jointly developed the machine.

The machine would allow people of all genders and ages to work on railway maintenance, although it is unclear what would stop women working on overhead lines.The mechanization will contribute greatly to the goal of eliminating workplace accidents caused by electric shock or falls, and will also lead to improved safety, reported Railway Technology.

According to the company, the technology will help fill worker shortages in aging Japan as well as reduce accidents such as workers falling from high places or suffering electric shocks.

In the future, we hope to use machines for all kinds of maintenance operations of our infrastructure, and this should provide a case study for how to deal with the labour shortage, said company president Kazuaki Hasegawa, according to The Guardian.

Jinki claims that the robot can lift and maneuver heavy loads like steel pipes, plates or wires, and do its job just like any human because as its controlled by one.

By synchronizing their movements with the robot, the human operator can use the machinery to perform complex tasks that require both power and finesse.

According to Jinki, the robot basically replicates the movements of an actual human inside the cockpit of the heavy machinery. They have special goggles connected to the eyes of the robot, and they can precisely control the movement of its arms using a technology developed by the company.

The giant robot is expected to lead to a significant advancement in maintenance technology and safety. This solution will help address current challenges in the industry and provide more reliable and efficient railway line maintenance and could reduce workforce required for most tasks by 30%.

The new robot will also be used for felling trees, removing obstacles, painting infrastructure objects, and replacing signal equipment. Mechanization will not only reduce the risk of accidents caused by electric shocks or falls but also create conditions for a more diverse working environment, according to Railway Supply.

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Prabhat Ranjan Mishra Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.

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40-feet-tall humanoid robot with Wall-E-like head to work on train lines - Interesting Engineering

Big changes are coming to State Route 18 near Snoqualmie as heavy lifting begins on a new bridge thats going to span the Raging River valleyprepare for a spectacle of engineering might without the headache of lane closures. The Washington State Department of Transportation announced that from Monday, July 8, through Thursday, July 11, motorists can expect to see cranes in action, hoisting up colossal girders alongside the current bridge, courtesy of design-builder Aecon's handiwork.

According to the WSDT, the timing's set for daily daylight operations from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., where the crews will set the stage for the new structure by installing beams that stretch up to 135 feet and tip the scales at around 61 tons, now for drivers the best thing is no lanes will shut down during this phase but it'll take some serious self-discipline to keep eyes on the road and not the sky as these massive steel spines of future travel take their place in the sky.

With the new bridge, we're looking at a more even traffic distribution with two lanes heading westbound being accommodated by the fresh construction, and the old bridge giving exclusive passage to eastbound travelers, completing the vision of the $190 million I-90/SR 18 improve project has set out to achieve, funded through the gas tax and the 2015 Connecting Washington transportation package.

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Engineering Marvel on the Horizon as SR 18 Bridge Work Starts Near Snoqualmie Without Lane Closures - Hoodline

Heading an educational institution is a difficult job under the best of circumstances. Doing so when more than 40% of the student body is fighting in a war and classes have been delayed for three months is a challenge that few, if any, academic institutions around the globe have had to face. Yet that is precisely the story of Afeka The Academic College of Engineering in Tel Aviv during the Swords of Iron War.

It is our moral duty and national obligation, says Prof. Ami Moyal, president of Afeka, to ensure that no student drops out because of the war and that all reservists complete the academic year successfully and in full. This has become the number one priority for Afeka and for me personally.

In early October 2023, as the Jewish holidays were coming to a close, Tel Aviv-based Afeka, one of Israels leading academic institutions of engineering and science, was poised to begin its academic year with its full complement of 3,400 students. However, after the Oct. 7 terror attacks and the ensuing war, more than 1,400 students over 40% of the student body were called into IDF service, and the opening of the school year was delayed by almost three months. The academic year finally began on December 31, 2023.

Afeka has experienced one of the highest army mobilization rates among Israeli academic institutions. Hundreds of Afeka students remain in active military service, many serving in combat units. Moyal estimates that half of the student body has been directly affected by the war, which includes those who have been serving in the IDF, the bereaved who have lost family members, evacuees from Israels northern and southern regions, and students who were present at the Supernova music festival on the morning of Oct. 7.

Moyal and his team are leading the college through the current unprecedented disruption with unwavering resolve. Without our support, he says, not only are their individual futures at risk but so is Israels technological edge. The possibility of fewer engineers entering the workforce immediately following the war, in a country where hi-tech drives the economy, isnt just an educational setback its a national economic and security concern.

To address the difficult situation, Afeka developed a comprehensive support package tailored to the diverse needs of its students. Key components include transitioning to a flexible hybrid teaching model; recording all classes; repeating courses throughout the year; providing academic advising and mentoring; increasing scholarship funding; and offering individual and group mental health counseling.

The war has presented a unique challenge for the college and the students in terms of the large numbers of students who were called into military service, the extended amount of time they spend in their reserve duties, and the back-and-forth between active military service and the classroom. The longer the war goes on, the more the challenges are growing, Moyal notes.

Addressing the challenging situation head-on, Afeka rescheduled the entire academic year and changed its educational system. Classes are offered in a hybrid format, with the lecturers teaching those students who can physically attend classes, while others are able to attend via live Zoom sessions and actively participate in class. All classes are recorded so that students who cannot be in the classroom or participate live from afar can catch up at their own pace and time.

We built a flexible platform that has enabled students to learn anywhere and any time, says Moyal.Ironically, due to Afekas award-winning crisis management during the COVID-19 pandemic, the college was well prepared for this step, with a full complement of hybrid classrooms equipped with cameras, microphones, and speakers already in place, enabling students wherever they are whether in the field or in military bases, and even wounded soldiers from their hospital beds to participate live or learn at their own pace.

The college introduced a host of adjustments within the classes to accommodate the needs of its students who have been fighting at the front. In many courses, final exams were changed to a assignments or projects, which could be turned in at a later date. Students concerned about maintaining their grade average received a pass/fail option rather than a numeric score.

The college realized that returning soldiers, due to their wartime experiences, were frequently unable to concentrate in the normal time allotted during exams and thus provided them with extra time to complete them. Students could also take an exam twice, and the higher grade would count for their average.

Due to the significant number of Afeka students serving in the IDF who were unable to attend classes, Moyal and the Afeka team offered 130 additional courses during the second semester and a further 130 courses during the third semester. Many reservists returned to school in the middle of a semester. To accommodate their needs, the school opened shorter six- and seven-week courses.

The multiple layers of assistance that Afeka has offered its students, such as classes on Zoom, financial aid, adding extra courses, and providing counseling services, cost $4 million. Afeka invested $1 million from its budget, received an additional $1 million from the government, and is currently conducting a campaign called the AsOne wartime emergency fund to raise the remaining $2 million needed to continue providing these services for its students.

Moyal says that the emergency issues that Afeka is confronting will not end this semester or even during the next semester. Even if the war were to end tomorrow, we still need to support our students so they can complete the academic year and their degree in full and on time.

He estimates that the effects of the war on the students and the college will continue well into the next school year, which will not begin at its regular time because everything was pushed back from this past year. Additionally, he notes that only at the end of the summer semester will the administration be able to determine how many students will require additional help for the next academic year.

Afeka is also providing large amounts of financial assistance to its students. Several times per semester, the college offers need-based scholarships up to the full tuition amount, depending on the circumstances of individual students.

Moyal says that the role of engineers in Israel today is critical. With Israels hi-tech industry as a pillar of economic stability and national security, especially during these critical times, the need for skilled engineers who can innovate and develop cutting-edge technologies with transformative impact has never been greater. The main growth engine in this country is hi-tech, and the engine that runs hi-tech are the engineers.

I expect that the State of Israel will require many engineers to rebuild and restore our country after the war.Afekas AsOne fund is a critical and crucial component for the future of reservist engineering students at the college to ensure that Israel will continue to have a supply of qualified engineers in the coming years to maintain its status as the Start-Up Nation.

For more information on contributing to the fund, contact AsOne@afeka.ac.ilor visitwww.afeka.ac.il/en/giving/projects/asone-campaign/.

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Engineering college tackles unprecedented disruption - Israel News - The Jerusalem Post