Florence Adopts Strategic Plan for Artificial Intelligence Use in City Services

Florence has approved its first Strategic Plan for Artificial Intelligence (2026–2028), outlining how the city will adopt AI tools across municipal services while ensuring human oversight, data protection and ethical standards.

The plan, coordinated by the city’s Innovation Department, positions Florence among the first Italian cities to introduce a structured approach to AI in public administration. It sets clear principles: AI systems will never have autonomous decision-making powers and will always operate under the supervision of trained staff. Each project will include a risk assessment, a human rights impact evaluation when required, and regular monitoring.

The municipality has identified four priority areas for the first pilot projects: operational efficiency, decision support, citizen services and cybersecurity.

Improving internal efficiency

AI systems will be introduced to automate routine administrative tasks such as document registration, classification and drafting. Algorithms will help sort and process large volumes of correspondence (including certified email, or PEC), while text-generation tools will prepare document drafts to be reviewed and validated by human officials. The aim is to reduce time spent on repetitive work and improve document accuracy.

Decision support through data analysis and “digital twins”

AI will also be applied to analyse large datasets to support urban and social planning. The city plans to develop digital twins—virtual models of Florence that can simulate urban, environmental and demographic scenarios. These will help local authorities make data-informed decisions on issues such as mobility, public spaces, energy use and tax evasion control, with greater transparency and efficiency.

AI-powered multilingual chatbots for public services

To improve communication with citizens, the city will deploy multilingual generative chatbots available 24/7 through its main contact centre (055055) and tourism platform Feel Florence. These systems will provide instant answers in 13 languages for frequent requests, reducing wait times and increasing accessibility.
A pilot project is already under way with “Festinalente,” a chatbot trained internally to provide guidance on residence registration procedures.

Cybersecurity with AI

Given the national rise in cyberattacks—over 1,500 incidents were logged in Italy in the first half of 2025—the city will strengthen its defences with AI-based threat detection. The system will analyse network traffic in real time to identify phishing, advanced threats and abnormal activity, cutting response times and improving data protection for residents and municipal systems.

Human oversight and training

All AI tools will be introduced gradually and designed to support, not replace, human work. City employees, including managers, will receive specific training, while digital literacy programmes will target citizens—especially those over 65—to help them use public digital services such as online registries and healthcare portals.

Evaluation and accountability

The plan requires a review every six months to assess efficiency, data protection, human rights compliance and environmental impact. It will also be updated annually to remain aligned with EU and Italian legislation, including the upcoming AI Act.

According to Innovation councillor Laura Sparavigna, Florence’s goal is to “lead digital change responsibly, combining efficiency, safety and citizen focus.”

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