City of Whittier Quietly Adds AI Chat Assistant to Its Website

October 26 2025 7:04 pm Whittier, Ca The City of Whittier has added a virtual chat assistant to its official website to help residents find information about permits, business licensing, city codes, and other local services 24 hours a day. The system is built by Saira Solutions, a government-technology company whose platform, Ask Saira, uses artificial intelligence and automation to deliver quick answers and route people to online services.

On the site, the assistant displays example questions such as “How do I apply for a business license?” and lists capabilities like multilingual responses and municipal code or permit lookups. It also includes a disclaimer stating that it “may occasionally provide incorrect information.” That warning mirrors how many public-sector LLM AI tools are rolled out today—helpful for quick answers but not a replacement for official confirmations from city staff.

Whittier is not the only city using this technology. Nearby municipalities such as Lomita and Norwalk have implemented similar Saira-based systems, and the City of San Fernando has referenced Saira software modules in its budget and agenda materials. A recent California municipal IT conference also listed Whittier and Lomita as examples of cities adopting artificial intelligence for civic engagement and digital service delivery.

Why it matters

Faster self-service allows residents to get answers without waiting on hold or navigating multiple webpages.Language access is another advantage, with Saira advertising support for over seventy languages, potentially improving equity for residents who speak languages other than English. City staff may also see relief from routine calls, enabling them to focus on complex or time-sensitive issues.

What remains to be seen

Questions remain about accuracy and oversight, including how the city monitors the chatbot’s performance and updates its knowledge base. Privacy and data retention policies have not yet been disclosed. It is also unclear what the system cost the city or how success will be measured.

Whittier 360 has reached out to the City of Whittier for additional details about the chatbot’s launch timeline, training data, privacy safeguards, usage statistics, and cost. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.

Additional Information

Saira Solutions official site: https://www.sairasolutions.com/Microsoft Marketplace listing for Ask Saira: https://marketplace.microsoft.com/en-us/marketplace/apps/asksaira.testofferMunicipal Information Systems Association of California (MISAC) session listing referencing Lomita and Whittier: https://www.misac.org/news/709422/MISAC-Annual-Conference-Breakout-Sessions-Announced--Session-4.htmCity of Lomita Ask Lomita portal: https://lomitacity.com/asklomitaCity of Norwalk Ask Norwalk portal: https://www.norwalk.org/asknorwalkCity of San Fernando public references to Saira software: https://sfcity.org/

Decorative image illustrating the page of an LLM model open on a computer in municipal department.