Central Oregon local governments adopt AI chatbots for internal staff use

Cities and counties in Central Oregon are adopting internal AI chatbots, saving staff time on tasks like summarizing documents, drafting press releases, and rewriting website copy, while region-wide discussions on AI oversight and public disclosure gather momentum. The City of Bend began integrating AI about two years ago, around the same time ChatGPT entered the mainstream. "Right when Chat GPT blew up, we realized, employees are using this, we need to get ahead and start figuring out how we're going to do it safely," said Adam Young, information security manager with the City. Since then, Bend has restricted employee use to a single platform: Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can draft emails, analyze data, and create presentations within the Microsoft Office environment.

What local governments are using

About 400 of Bend's 800 employees have requested Copilot on their computers. For roughly 60 of those, the tool is integrated with Office apps, pulling information from internal documents, calendars, and spreadsheets - not just the open internet. Young said security was a factor in the selection. Copilot blocks sensitive data like social security numbers and criminal justice records automatically. Deschutes County adopted two different internal chatbots for administrative research and data analysis, said spokesperson Kim Katchur. The county also approved an AI policy in 2024 that guides how staff use the tools. Bend followed with its own policy in 2025, backed by a new steering committee and employee training that teaches staff to spot biased or inaccurate AI output. That policy draws from guidelines shared by cities in the GovAI Coalition, a group of hundreds of agencies working toward AI for Government that is both responsible and purposeful.

Disclosure and the line between human and machine

Bend's policy requires staff to fact-check AI-generated work and disclose when "AI is used to create an image or a document from scratch, or is used to significantly modify one." In practice, that boundary can blur. Rene Mitchell, the city's communication and engagement director, said her department uses Copilot to format information, summarize public input, generate icebreaker prompts, and draft concepts for press releases. During a recent website overhaul, the team directed Copilot to rewrite technical language at an eighth-grade reading level. Subject-matter experts reviewed every revision. "In every case, staff did not accept verbatim what Copilot produced/recommended," Mitchell said in an email. That AI-assisted copy is not disclosed on the city's website. Mitchell argues the policy allows for this, since "not all uses of AI require citation" and all material is "edited and reshaped substantively by human hand." Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler does not use Copilot for city business herself, but told the Source, "I think AI tools can be useful in certain contexts, and can help city employees work more efficiently, within proper policies about when AI tool use is appropriate or not."

What's ahead for public-facing AI

No Central Oregon agency currently deploys an AI tool that interacts with residents directly. That could change soon. Deschutes County is exploring a website chatbot that would help people find services and get answers faster. Bend is looking at "low risk, high value" public-facing applications, Young said. One example from other cities: AI that speeds up building permits by helping developers refine plans before submitting applications. Such tools will require heavy vetting. "We want to be very, very cautious of, if the public's going to interact with our AI solution, it's extremely tied down on making sure the information fed back to that person is accurate," Young said. A region-wide civic assembly on AI, organized by the Central Oregon Civic Action Project, is scheduled for this fall. It will randomly select local delegates to develop policy recommendations. A recent project poll found overwhelming support for requiring governments to disclose how they use AI and justify the cost to taxpayers. For agencies considering similar tools, Microsoft AI Courses can help teams build internal capacity for safe implementation.

Why this matters for Government

Local governments are actively shaping AI disclosure standards in real time, often before state or federal rules arrive. The Central Oregon experience shows how quickly internal tools can become embedded, even as questions around transparency and public trust remain unresolved. For government professionals, the key takeaway is that clear internal policies, staff training, and a deliberate approach to public-facing uses are now table stakes - not optional. The decisions made now on disclosure and procurement will likely influence broader state policy as civic assemblies and coalitions drive the conversation forward.