# New AI-powered OneService Chatbot for easy reporting of municipal issues

- **Source:** Ministry of National Development
- **Published:** 2021-07-15T03:30:00.000Z
- **Author:** Ministry of National Development
- **Original:** https://www.mnd.gov.sg/newsroom/press-releases/view/new-ai-powered-oneservice-chatbot-for-easy-reporting-of-municipal-issues
- **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, New Launches, Government & Policy

## Featured rationale

Easier reporting and faster routing may improve municipal responsiveness and estate maintenance, potentially supporting residents' satisfaction with their neighbourhood living environment.

## AI summary

MSO and SNDGG launched the beta AI-powered OneService Chatbot on WhatsApp and Telegram to classify and route residents' municipal reports automatically.

## Original article

As part of the National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy, the Municipal Services Office (MSO) and the Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) have launched the AI-powered OneService Chatbot on WhatsApp and Telegram. 

The OneService Chatbot allows residents to easily report municipal issues on the go via WhatsApp and Telegram. Residents can start a conversation with the Chatbot by texting “Hi” to +65 9821 9004 (WhatsApp) or @OneServiceSG Bot (Telegram), or use the weblinks and QR codes to connect with the Chatbot (Annex A). Residents are encouraged to add the Chatbot to their contacts list, for easier reference when needed.

Bringing more convenience to residents through AI

The National AI Strategy describes the Government’s ambition and plans to develop and deploy scalable, impactful AI solutions to benefit citizens and businesses. The OneService Chatbot is a project under the National AI Strategy that supports ongoing improvements in the responsiveness of municipal service delivery.

To make it even more convenient and accessible for residents to report feedback on municipal issues, the Chatbot is hosted on commonly-used social messaging platforms (currently WhatsApp and Telegram). This is the same service philosophy behind the OneService Lite QR-enabled reporting channel, which allows residents to simply scan QR codes at several locations to submit their feedback without having to first download the OneService App. 

Currently, members of the public can provide feedback on municipal issues using the OneService App. Users lodge a case by selecting from a list of issues to provide feedback on, and fill in information fields such as date, time and location, in a structured manner. In contrast, the Chatbot, built on GovTech’s VICA platform, utilises AI to predict the nature of the feedback being reported based on a user’s initial simple description. Therefore, the user is not required to classify the feedback into predetermined categories at the outset. Residents who are unable to fit their feedback into existing OneService App reporting categories can use the Chatbot to make a report instead. 

The Chatbot guides the residents to provide the relevant information, in real-time conversational manner, to ensure that the feedback is comprehensively logged. The feedback will be automatically routed to the agency-in-charge of the issue based on text, geo-location and images submitted by the resident.1 Screenshots of the Chatbot interface can be found in Annex B. 

Prior to this “beta” launch, MSO and GovTech conducted user trials involving 450 participants. The participants generally found the Chatbot easy to use and accurate at identifying the crux of the municipal issue being surfaced. MSO and GovTech have refined the Chatbot based on this and other useful feedback. For example, adjusting the text exchanges for clarity, and retraining the AI model to improve accuracy of predictions.

Chatbot Personality Design Competition 

As part of this “beta” launch, MSO will also be holding a Chatbot design competition to determine the “personality” of the OneService Chatbot. Participants will submit an artwork of an avatar / character, with an accompanying write-up about the avatar / character (e.g. personality, quirks). The winning entry will be awarded $600 worth of shopping vouchers and will have their submission adopted as the “personality” of the Chatbot. We look forward to receiving ideas from residents on the type of Chatbot personality that they would like to see and interact with. The competition is open to all residents.

Further details on the submission requirements and application process can be found at Annex C.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok_cli

### 全新人工智能驱动的OneService聊天机器人，方便举报市政问题

作为国家人工智能（AI）战略的一部分，市政服务署（MSO）与智慧国及数码政府集团（SNDGG）已在WhatsApp和Telegram上推出人工智能驱动的OneService聊天机器人。

OneService聊天机器人让居民可通过WhatsApp和Telegram，随时随地轻松举报市政问题。居民可通过向+65 9821 9004（WhatsApp）或@OneServiceSG Bot（Telegram）发送“Hi”开始与聊天机器人对话，或使用网页链接和二维码连接聊天机器人（附件A）。鼓励居民将聊天机器人加入通讯录，以便需要时更方便查阅。

通过人工智能为居民带来更多便利

国家人工智能战略阐述了政府开发并部署可扩展、具影响力的人工智能解决方案，以惠及公民和企业的愿景与计划。OneService聊天机器人是国家人工智能战略下的项目，支持持续提升市政服务响应能力。

为使居民举报市政问题反馈更加方便和易于获取，聊天机器人部署在常用的社交即时通讯平台上（目前为WhatsApp和Telegram）。这与OneService Lite二维码举报渠道的服务理念相同，该渠道让居民只需在多个地点扫描二维码即可提交反馈，而无需先下载OneService应用程序。

目前，公众可使用OneService应用程序就市政问题提供反馈。用户通过从问题列表中选择需反馈的事项，并以结构化方式填写日期、时间和地点等信息字段来提交个案。相比之下，基于GovTech的VICA平台构建的聊天机器人，利用人工智能根据用户最初的简单描述预测所举报反馈的性质。因此，用户无需一开始就将反馈归入预设类别。无法将其反馈归入现有OneService应用程序举报类别的居民，可改用聊天机器人进行举报。

聊天机器人以实时对话方式引导居民提供相关信息，确保反馈被全面记录。反馈将根据居民提交的文字、地理位置和图像，自动转至负责该问题的主管机构。1 聊天机器人界面截图见附件B。

在此次“测试版”推出前，市政服务署与GovTech进行了有450名参与者的用户试用。参与者普遍认为聊天机器人易于使用，并能准确识别所提出市政问题的核心。市政服务署与GovTech已根据此项及其他有用反馈完善聊天机器人。例如，调整文字交流以提高清晰度，并重新训练人工智能模型以提高预测准确度。

聊天机器人个性设计比赛

作为此次“测试版”推出的一部分，市政服务署还将举办聊天机器人设计比赛，以确定OneService聊天机器人的“个性”。参赛者须提交头像/角色的艺术作品，并附上关于该头像/角色的说明文字（例如个性、特质）。获奖作品将获赠价值600元的购物礼券，其提交内容将获采用为聊天机器人的“个性”。我们期待收到居民关于他们希望看到并互动的聊天机器人个性类型的创意。比赛向所有居民开放。

有关提交要求及申请流程的更多详情，见附件C。