Supercomputer that Won Jeopardy to Power New York 311

A $24M investment in artificial intelligence will help New York City manage 36 million or more 311 calls. The city chose the IBM supercomputer Watson.

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NBC NEW YORK

When it launched in 2003, New York City’s 311 system received 4 million calls per year. But that number rose to 36 million calls per year in 2016.

The city’s data processing system needs upgrades, according to the city, and it has invested $24 million for artificial intelligence that can manage requests and eliminate copious searches by 311 attendants navigating various data portals.

Watson, a cognitive supercomputer by IBM that won Jeopardy in 2011, will present quick and concise answers that will keep caller wait times out of the red, hopefully by mid-2018, according to NBC in New York.

Watch the story on NBC New York.

Andrea Fox is Editor of Gov1.com and Senior Editor at Lexipol. She is based in Massachusetts.

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