Wilson, NC – The Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments (UCPCOG) is leading one of the most ambitious and practical public sector AI efforts in North Carolina. Under the direction of Executive Director Robert Hiett, UCPCOG has launched a full suite of AI tools and training resources designed specifically for small towns and rural communities across its five-county region.

Local Governments, Real AI Tools

UCPCOG represents 46 member governments in Edgecombe, Halifax, Nash, Northampton, and Wilson counties. Many of these communities have limited staff and tight budgets, but UCPCOG’s regional approach is making sure they aren’t left behind in the AI era. As AI has taken off around the country, Mr. Hiett noticed that most of the vendors, tools created, use cases, and training programs were not relevant for smaller local governments or regional entities like councils of governments (COGs).

“Use cases for projects in areas with populations of a million or more are interesting, but what they need AI to do and the budgets they have to implement those solutions are completely different from what you’d need in a county with 50,000 people,” said Hiett.

“Also, a lot of the training programs I’ve seen stay at the 100,000-foot level and don’t give local governments a real roadmap for how to identify and implement anything. So I knew we’d have to roll up our sleeves and build our own solutions for regions our size,” said Hiett.

At the heart of this effort is GovAI, a public-sector-focused platform that gives local governments access to generative AI tools, chatbot development, prompt libraries, and more. The platform is built with strong governance policies and is tailored for public use. As of early 2025, nearly half of UCPCOG’s members are already participating.

“Our partnership with GovAI is very beneficial for our area because it brings an enterprise-level AI platform, powered by ChatGPT, to small local governments. GovAI is also public sector-focused, so they have a custom-built network architecture designed to make prompts and responses more accurate. Lastly, GovAI has several tools that allow us to monitor how our platform is being used, and a suite of safety features to prevent PII data leaks”, said Hiett.

AskAshleigh Wins State Recognition

Another standout tool is AskAshleigh, the country’s first generative AI assistant developed for an Area Agency on Aging (AAA). Created in collaboration with Novitalis, the chatbot provides instant, accessible information to seniors and caregivers about local services, resources, and aging-related topics. It can use text and image input to provide answers.

AskAshleigh is more than just helpful, it is award-winning!  In May 2025, the tool received a state innovation award from the North Carolina Division of Aging and Adult Services, recognizing it as an innovative solution for aging services in the public sector. UCPCOG Aging Director Mary Marlin and Family Caregiver Resource Specialist Ashleigh Glover are leading this effort.

UCPCOG AI Academy: Training the Workforce

In 2024, UCPCOG launched the AI Academy, the first regional training program in North Carolina led by a council of governments. The six-week course gives local leaders and staff a practical introduction to AI. Topics include generative AI, prompt engineering, AI-powered media and data tools, governance and compliance, and responsible use of AI in public operations.

The UCPCOG AI Academy has trained 80 public sector officials, and they are starting a new class with 40 more participants in June. The Academy is helping build a knowledgeable local workforce that can use AI effectively and ethically in daily government tasks.

Enhancing Website Navigation

The UCPCOG has teamed up with Polimorphic, Inc. to deploy a chatbot for its main website. The chatbot can seamlessly answer questions on workforce development, finance, planning & development, and more. It marks a major step forward in regional cooperation. In the future, UCPCOG hopes to partner with members so that the chatbot is also connected to other local government chatbots. That means a resident in Halifax County, for example, can use UCPCOG’s chatbot to get accurate answers about county-specific services, without needing to know which agency to contact.

Leadership That Travels Well

Robert Hiett, the executive behind this work, is becoming one of the most recognized rural voices in public sector AI. He holds over 20 AI-related certifications, including in AI engineering and generative AI engineering. He’s also written two books, The Public Sector Survival Guide for ChatGPT and Zero to Hero: ChatGPT Prompting in 30 Days, and shares training content regularly on LinkedIn and Substack. Hiett is also frequently asked to speak at regional and national events across the Southeastern United States.

My Town AI

UCPCOG is currently piloting My Town AI, a digital twin simulation project designed to help town leaders visualize the impact of policy decisions before implementation. It lets them simulate real-world outcomes and plan smarter with fewer risks. This is the perfect tool for small towns that lack access to many technology resources, and it will greatly enhance local decision-making. UCPCOG Planning Director Ben Farmer is coordinating this effort.

The UCPCOG AI Network

This pilot is part of UCPCOG’s growing AI Network, which connects communities to shared tools, training, and vetted vendors. The governance and procurement models developed by the Council are being shared with other COGs to help scale these efforts across multiple states.

The UCPCOG AI Network will conduct an organizational meeting in June and then start implementation activities after July 1, 2025.  The UCPCOG AI Network is expected to be a multi-state partnership, and there are over 30 councils of governments (COGs) in the Southeastern U.S. that have signed up to participate with the UCPCOG.

Wrapping It Up

UCPCOG’s work shows that rural communities don’t have to wait for big-city solutions. With the right tools, clear governance, and strong leadership, they can take charge of their own AI journey. This isn’t theory or hype. These tools are live, in use, and improving government services right now.

For more information, visit ucpcog.org or contact Robert Hiett directly at rhiett@ucpcog.org.