US EditionCal Fire Rolled Out an AI Chatbot Following Executive Order. Don’t Ask It About Evacuation Orders
CALIFORNIA, JUL 9 – Cal Fire's AI chatbot launched to improve access to fire resources but struggles with accurate evacuation and containment updates, with errors documented by CalMatters.
- In 2023, California's main agency responsible for managing wildfires introduced an AI-powered chatbot designed to offer fire safety guidance and emergency updates.
- The chatbot development followed Gov. Gavin Newsom's 2023 executive order aimed at improving government efficiency with AI, though public involvement before launch is ideal according to experts.
- Cal Fire's communications deputy, Issac Sanchez, said the chatbot was tested by his team and aims to keep the public better informed, though it currently cannot provide evacuation order details.
- As of June 10, the chatbot reported the Ranch Fire in San Bernardino County was 50% contained, but this was six days out of date compared to an 85% containment at the time.
- Cal Fire continues to improve the chatbot's accuracy by analyzing user queries, while experts stress evaluation must be a standard part of AI deployments to ensure reliability and public trust.
16 Articles
16 Articles
LA Daily News
Cal Fire rolled out an AI chatbot. Don’t ask it about evacuation orders
The bot fails at some basic questions about fires. Cal Fire says it is working on fixes.
California's fire protection agency made an AI chatbot. Don't ask it about evacuation orders – The Markup
The bot fails at some basic questions about fires. Cal Fire says it is working on fixes. Photo by Julie Hotz for CalMatters California government agencies are going all-in on generative artificial intelligence tools after Gov. Gavin Newsom’s 2023 executive order to improve government efficiency with AI. One deployment recently touted by the governor is a chatbot from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the primary agency …
Cal Fire rolled out an AI chatbot following executive order. Don’t ask it about evacuation orders
California's AI chatbot aims to improve access to wildfire information but struggles with consistency, raising questions about the state agencies' readiness for AI.
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