The chatbot replaces the city’s previous Chatbot 2.0 assistant.
Markham, Ont. has announced the introduction of an AI chatbot as a virtual assistant to their webpage.
Named Chatbot 3.0, it features Markham’s new mascot Millie, who is a multi-coloured butterfly wearing a headset. The AI-powered assistant aims to make browsing Markham’s webpage easy and convenient for residents.
According to the press release, the chatbot uses a combination of several publicly available AI technologies, including Comm100, ChatGPT, and IBM Watson. The press release notes that introducing the mascot to the assistant makes the experience more personable and engaging. It also notes that virtual assistants are still available if needed.
Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti said the city is “relentless in our pursuit of innovation in the AI space, continually exploring new ways to serve our community better and solidify our status as Canada’s high-tech capital.” Scarpitti also mentioned the accolades that the municipality has won for their introduction within the AI space.
In the press release, the City of Markham stated that Millie is a “testament to our commitment to leveraging technology to enhance public services.” They added, “This initiative builds on the success of our previous virtual assistant, which has been instrumental in providing efficient and effective support to our community.”
In 2020, Markham partnered with IBM to help residents get up-to-date information on COVID-19. Two years later, the city launched the “Elections Markham Virtual Assistant Powered by Watson Assistant” to assist with the upcoming Markham election. In 2023, Markham replaced the previous assistant focused on COVID-19 with the Virtual Assistant 2.0, which was more general-purpose. This assistant combined technologies from Comm100 and IBM Watson.
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