The City of Riverside has recently introduced an AI assistant to their website called Rivy, which according to Rivy itself, aims at "providing [one] with the latest updates and information" about local events and activities.
At its core, AI chatbots, like Rivy, are installed to help city residents find information faster and more conveniently. Acting as an instructional hub available 24/7, Rivy is designed to direct people quickly to the right resource or department in need, even if it cannot solve every problem. According to an article written by Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson, "Rivy is available 24/7 to answer common questions, connect residents with city services, and provide quick access to information that might have previously required a phone call or in-person visit."
To test if Rivy's execution is aligned with its function, the chatbot was given a diverse series of questions ranging from the history of Riverside to daily occurrences to urgent and critical needs.
In some areas specific to the city, Rivy performed exceptionally well. When asked about the history of Riverside, Rivy gave an elaborate and detailed explanation, narrating the establishment by John W. North in 1870 to the citrus industry propelling Riverside's economy. Similarly, when asked where one can see public art in Riverside, Rivy gave multiple suggestions and locations, ranging from Downtown Riverside, City Hall, to monthly Arts Walk events.
However, Rivy also has clear limits. When Rivy was asked for the current weather, it politely responded that it could only answer city-related questions - which was ironic, since the weather indeed affects city life. Perhaps a resident lost a dog and needed guidance on how to act. In these circumstances, Rivy encouraged the user to ask about meetings or events instead, demonstrating a lack of capability to aid in urgent situations. When asked what was happening this weekend in the city of Riverside, Rivy simply said there were no events listed and gave no further suggestions. And finally, when asked about the Korean American exhibit downtown, Rivy responded that it can only answer questions about services related to the City of Riverside. Currently, Rivy's knowledge base is evidently pretty narrow.
Overall, Rivy serves as a good starting point for finding information about city meetings, history, public art, and other questions that fall under similar categories. Rivy would be able to provide much more help if it could redirect users by providing links or suggestions to solve a particular problem.
For now, Rivy is a helpful tool for quick, simple questions - if you know what you are looking for. Nonetheless, Rivy is not ready to replace a real person when you have a real problem. "Riverside has always been a city of innovation," Mayor Dawson wrote. "With careful planning and community trust, we can ensure that these tools strengthen our city and bring real, tangible benefits to residents."
By Erik Chen
