Riverside launches “Rivy” AI chat and voice assistant to improve city services and community engagement – PublicCEO
The City of Riverside is proud to announce the launch of “Rivy,” an AI-powered chat and voice assistant designed to provide residents with faster, easier, and more reliable access to city services and information while empowering city staff to focus on higher value interactions that require personal attention. This innovative tool is part of Riverside’s broader commitment to digital transformation and community-focused service delivery while improving internal efficiency.
Rivy is available on city’s website — riversideca.gov — as a chat assistant and also integrated into the City’s 311 customer service phone line, offering an AI-powered voice assistant option for callers who prefer voice interaction, while still maintaining the option to speak with a live agent.
Rivy uses content from the City’s website to answer residents’ questions in real time, providing a 24/7 virtual assistant for everything from finding City Council agendas to learning how to apply for permits or explore parks and recreation programs. Focused on accessibility, responsiveness and the user experience, Rivy empowers users to interact with the City at their convenience — anytime, anywhere.
“Our vision is to create a city government that is as connected, efficient, and accessible as the people it serves,” Mayor Patricia Lock Dawson said. “Rivy is a huge leap forward in delivering that vision, helping residents get what they need, faster and easier than ever before.”
Rivy represents Riverside’s first step toward a citywide enterprise AI platform, laying the foundation for smarter civic engagement. Key benefits to the community include:
- 24/7 access to information: Rivy ensures residents get immediate answers to common questions — no more searching through webpages or waiting on hold.
- Increased equity and inclusion: By offering digital and voice interfaces, Rivy will help ensure that residents with varying levels of digital literacy or physical accessibility needs can still receive the support they need.
- Cost-effective operations: Automating routine inquiries allows staff to focus on complex or high-priority cases, enabling the City to maximize the impact of taxpayer dollars.
- More efficient City services: Future updates to Rivy will allow users to report service issues such as graffiti, potholes, or missed trash pickups and track the status of their requests, power outage, etc., improving responsiveness and transparency. Future updates will also have options to chat with live agent if desired.
- Future-proofing City services: As an enterprise-grade AI platform, Rivy is designed to integrate with third-party AI tools and smart city technologies, making it scalable and adaptable as Riverside’s needs evolve.
Rivy is designed to augment City staff. By handling routine inquiries and requests, Rivy frees up valuable time for employees to focus on delivering more personalized, high-impact services. This partnership between people and technology will help elevate the overall quality of service the City provides to its residents.
“Rivy is an addition, not a substitution,” Mayor Pro Tem Chuck Conder said. “If a person would prefer to ask their question directly to a City employee, that option will still be available.”
Whether it’s paying a bill, reporting an issue, or learning more about city services, Rivy puts the power of information and action in residents’ hands. It’s more than convenience — it’s about transforming how Riverside supports its people. It’s important to note that Rivy isn’t designed as a general AI assistant to answer broad questions like “How do I bake a cake?” or “What’s the weather in Riverside?” Its purpose is to educate and guide our community through city programs, services, and resources.
Experience Rivy today at riversideca.gov or by calling 311 and see how the future of city services starts with a smart, simple, and human virtual assistant.
November 21, 2025|
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