REDDITCH Council will explore how chatbots and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help deliver local services, in a partnership project that has secured £80,000 from the Government.

The work will look at how councils could use the technology to improve customer service and efficiency.

Chatbots allow customers to raise queries, get information or request services.

Their uses include on websites, in messaging apps like Facebook Messenger, and in virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa.

Redditch has partnered with 13 other councils, led by Oxford City Council, to explore the issues between now and April 2019.

A bid to the Local Digital Fund for £80,000 to support the work has now been approved.

The fund from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is to help local authorities explore and build common solutions to shared problems.

Councillor Tom Baker-Price, Redditch Borough Council’s portfolio holder for corporate management, said: "Many residents will be familiar with chatbots and AI from online shopping to their smartphones, where they can ask questions anytime, anywhere for an instant response and possible resolution.

"This project is part of the council’s ambitious digital innovation drive to improve services and reduce costs for our residents, and demonstrates Redditch Borough Council is at the forefront of digital innovation in local government.”