The Municipality of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, has launched AIDA, a virtual assistant with artificial intelligence that attends to citizens through WhatsApp, 24 hours a day, free of charge. According to the municipal administration, it is the first of its kind in a Puerto Rico municipality. Mayor Julio Roldán Concepción presented the tool at City Hall, explaining that AIDA allows citizens to perform transactions, receive reports, and access information on municipal services.
AIDA’s functions include reporting problems on public roads, consulting pharmacy hours, and accessing municipal procedures. The assistant is designed to understand the language of Puerto Ricans and responds in Spanish and English. The Municipality will install QR code signs in Aguadilla neighborhoods, allowing citizens to initiate conversations and receive targeted assistance.
The program will be overseen by the Office of Community Affairs and Social Development, which serves as the Municipality’s primary link to its over 55,000 residents. Mayor Roldán Concepción clarified that AIDA will not replace municipal employees, but rather free them to focus on more pressing initiatives. AIDA was developed in partnership with Numeral8, a company specializing in conversational artificial intelligence for governments.