The city of Denver has implemented an artificial intelligence chatbot named Sunny to streamline assistance for residents regarding city policies, regulations, and rules. This AI bot acts as an extension of Denver's 311 helpline, offering an alternative to speaking with a staff member over the phone.

Laura Dunwoody, the originator of the Sunny project, noted that many residents prefer not to wait on hold to get answers. Sunny was created to provide customer service on smart devices, offering a more efficient way to serve residents and visitors. The chatbot is available 24/7 on denvergov.org, as well as via text and WhatsApp at HEY311, and supports more than 80 languages.

Sunny ingests all 2,300+ pages of denvergov.org every night, ensuring that it remains up-to-date with the latest information. With 150 web authors across the city updating information regularly, Sunny continuously updates its knowledge base. This enables Sunny to answer a wide array of questions, such as inquiries about whether a neighbor is allowed to keep chickens.

An example provided highlighted a resident using Sunny to inquire about a neighbor's chickens. The resident was concerned about the chickens entering the neighbor's house and its potential impact on property values. Sunny clarified that the neighbor could keep chickens indoors if they were wearing chicken diapers.

In addition to unusual inquiries like chicken diapers, Sunny can be used to report concerns such as potholes or to ask questions about home improvement project permits. If Sunny is unable to answer a question, it can default to a human operator, though this is rare.

Due to Sunny's success, the city of Aurora has created its own bot called Access Aurora. Other cities like Boulder and Broomfield are also considering adopting this technology. Sunny launched about a year ago but gained significant traction in March, experiencing its busiest month and anticipating an even busier April.