Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
The Saline County government is embracing new technology with its use of an AI-powered chatbot on its website.
Ask Sal, which was developed in partnership with Citibot, provides 24/7 assistance on the website, helping get answers instantly for some of the most asked questions as well as guiding users to the right resources within the county.
Ask Sal can be accessed now by clicking on the chat icon on the bottom right corner, working on both desktop and mobile devices.
“Technology should make government more accessible, not more complicated,” said Airen Maxwell, Saline County system support analyst. “Ask Sal helps residents find answers quickly and efficiently, reducing frustration and improving how we deliver information. It also cuts down on phone calls for common questions, allowing county staff to focus on more complex requests.”
Ask Sal is able to receive questions and give answers in multiple languages.
“Ask Sal greets visitors in English, Spanish, Japanese and Vietnamese and can provide answers in 75 different languages,” said Melissa McCoy, Saline County public information officer. “This improves access for more people in our community and makes it easier for them to get the information they need without language being a barrier.”
The chatbot is trained to handle routine inquiries and guide residents to the right information, pulling from verified sources in the county for accurate and reliable responses.
Examples of the kind of information Ask Sal can help with include the following:
For questions that can’t be found through the bot, Ask Sal can direct users to county staff through the chat interface.
Bratton Riley, CEO of Citibot, said that municipal websites often offer so much information, it can be overwhelming trying to navigate and find the things residents need the most, making a chatbot a useful tool.
“We’re thrilled to launch Ask Sal with Saline County, providing an enhanced web experience and improving efficiency and customer service,” Riley said.
According to McCoy, the county wants feedback from users about this new bot and do so by visiting www.salinecountyks.gov/feedback.
According to Saline County, Ask Sal costs $11,500 per year, which covers maintenance, improvements and updates to help get accurate responses.
The bot will continue to evolve as it learns from user interactions to provide better assistance over time.
The county also said it is among the first municipalities in Kansas to use this platform from Citibot.
In addition to Ask Sal, the county rolled out TextMyGov late last year through the county health department, where people can text keywords to 785-376-6336 for similar information. Users can begin by texting “Hi” to the number.
Examples of things that can be used through TextMyGov are sending the word “Hours” to find office hours for county departments, “Road” to report potholes, downed signs and road hazards on county roads and “Jobs” to found out about current job openings within the county government.
Finally, the county has also added an accessibility menu to its website. That menu, which can be found at the bottom left corner of the screen, allows users to access the county website with features including a screen reader, contrast settings, text settings, additional languages and more.

source