Hire a Geek: How Cities Can Bring in an Expert to Unlock AI and Automation Opportunities

Municipalities across the country are facing mounting challenges: shrinking workforces, budget constraints, outdated systems, and rising citizen expectations. At the same time, artificial intelligence and automation are rapidly transforming how organizations operate. For many local governments, the biggest hurdle isn’t interest—it’s knowing where to begin, who to trust, and how to separate hype from real opportunity.

Enter Hire a Geek, a hands-on, in-person engagement designed specifically for city governments. It’s led by Chris Erhardt, a seasoned business consultant and AI strategist who has spent the last decade building and scaling AI-enabled startups across North America. Chris holds AI certifications from both Arizona State University and the University of Texas at San Antonio, and he now brings that experience directly to municipalities looking to modernize in a practical, no-nonsense way.

Day 1: AI 101 and Strategic Brainstorming

The engagement begins with a clear and engaging presentation to the city’s leadership team. Chris breaks down what AI really is, how it works, where it’s already being used in both public and private sectors, and—just as importantly—what it’s not good at. This presentation is tailored for non-technical leadership, designed to replace confusion with clarity and build a shared understanding before tackling local use cases.

Immediately after, Chris facilitates an interactive workshop with department heads and other key personnel. The team collectively maps out the city’s unique structure, pain points, and operational blind spots.

Together, they begin identifying specific areas—across departments like utilities, public works, code enforcement, permitting, HR, and finance—where AI or automation might meaningfully reduce manual effort, improve service delivery, or unlock cost savings.

Days 2–4: Shadowing Departments and Diagnosing Opportunities

Over the following one to three days (depending on city size), Chris embeds directly with frontline staff in the departments identified during the workshop. He shadows operations, observes workflows, interviews employees, and documents how work actually gets done. This isn’t a surface-level analysis—it’s an on-the-ground diagnostic that uncovers the true barriers to efficiency and the best opportunities for tech to help.

This phase ensures any recommendations are grounded in the day-to-day realities of municipal work. It avoids the all-too-common trap of generic modernization advice that looks good on paper but fails in practice.

Final Day: Findings, Recommendations, and Roadmap

The final day brings the leadership team back together for a second presentation. Chris shares his findings—what’s working, what isn’t, and where automation or AI can be implemented with meaningful impact.

This includes:

• Department-by-department insights

• A list of automation opportunities, from small wins to long-term investments

• Clear estimates of time or cost savings

• A roadmap prioritizing the lowest-hanging fruit

• Recommendations for implementation, including tools, partners, or internal projects

  
  

The outcome is a custom modernization plan tailored to the city’s needs, resources, and constraints—not a pitch deck, but a practical guide to what’s possible.

Why It Works

Chris Erhardt isn’t just an “AI guy.” He’s a proven operator who has built tech startups from the ground up, secured millions in funding, and led teams through the adoption of AI and automation tools in real-world environments. He understands how public-sector operations differ from private ones, and he knows that a solution is only as good as its usability by the people who need it most.

For cities unsure where to start with AI—or those burned by overpromising vendors—Hire a Geek offers something different: a partner who listens first, explores second, and recommends third.