Manatee County Explores Role in State AI Efficiency Pilot Program

Manatee County commissioners on Dec. 2 reviewed a proposal to participate in a new state-led artificial intelligence pilot program aimed at identifying opportunities to improve government efficiency. If approved, the county would become the first in Florida to join the Department of Government Efficiency’s initiative.

The program would use the same dataset that Manatee County previously supplied to the state for a review of duplication and operational improvements. County staff said the invitation followed the county’s expression of interest in October.

Polytech, a firm with public-sector experience and tools for analyzing large volumes of documents and project information, is the proposed contractor for the pilot. The initiative would involve examining publicly available county records to identify potential efficiencies. Officials emphasized that only documents already accessible through normal public channels would be used.

The county’s finance officer did not request board action but sought direction on whether to continue gathering details and exploring a potential contract with Polytech. The pilot is estimated to cost between $2,000 and $4,000. Commissioners agreed that staff should proceed with collecting additional information and, if appropriate, schedule a future presentation. No vote was taken, and no contract has been approved.

During the discussion, Commissioner Jason Bearden urged caution regarding the use of emerging AI tools. He raised concerns about security protocols, long-term value, and the risk of limited return on investment. He also questioned whether Manatee County might be used as an early test case for a developing technology.

County Government Relations Director Stephanie Garrison told commissioners the review would rely only on records already provided to the state or otherwise publicly accessible. She noted that the county’s IT director had been briefed on the proposal and that standard security requirements would apply to any agreement.

Commissioners are expected to revisit the proposal once additional information is assembled and a more detailed presentation is available.