Kurashiki City AI Chatbot ~ The City Hall Window is Inside Your Smartphone. Smooth Research with the AI Chatbot

"I don't know where to look on the city hall's website..." "I suddenly wanted to know how to proceed with something in the middle of the night." Have you ever had such experiences?

Kurashiki City has started operating the "Kurashiki City AI Chatbot," which provides instant answers to citizens' "I want to know" inquiries in a conversational format, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, starting from June 1, 2026.

Utilizing generative AI technology, this service introduces a new way to access information that guides you through city administration information as if you were consulting at a service counter.

This article is based on information provided by Kurashiki City under the "Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on the Dissemination of City Administration Information" with the Haretoco General Incorporated Association, and has been edited and published by the editorial department of the Haretoco General Incorporated Association.

About the "Kurashiki City AI Chatbot"

Icon for asking AI questions (Image provided by Kurashiki City)

The Kurashiki City AI Chatbot is a service where advanced generative AI finds necessary answers from the vast information on the city’s official website and conveys them in an easy-to-understand summary.

Available 24/7, anytime and anywhere
No need to worry about office hours.
Even at night or on holidays, simply input "Tell me about child-rearing support" or "How to obtain a resident certificate," and the AI will respond instantly.
Reach the information you want immediately through natural conversation
Not just a question-and-answer format, but you can continue asking up to 5 follow-up questions. The AI understands the context and smoothly answers additional questions like "Where can I do that?" or "What documents are needed?"
Safe and accurate because you know the basis
To prevent the AI from generating answers based on false information (hallucinations), it adopts a system that generates answers only within the scope of official information provided by the city. The answers display links to the source pages, so if you want to know more details, you can easily access official information with peace of mind.
Multilingual support for ease of use for everyone
In addition to Japanese, it supports many languages including English, Chinese (simplified and traditional), Korean, Portuguese, Vietnamese, French, and Thai. The AI automatically detects the input language and responds in the same language. Foreigners can comfortably research administrative services in their native language.

How to Use

The "Kurashiki City AI Chatbot" can be used through the following services.

Kurashiki City Official Website

On the Kurashiki City Official Website, please tap "Ask AI" located at the bottom right of the webpage.

Kurashiki City Call Center Website

On the Kurashiki City Call Center Website, please tap "Ask AI" located at the bottom right of the webpage.

Kurashiki City Official App

On the Kurashiki City Official App, please tap "City Administration Information" from the "MENU" on the home screen, and then select "Ask AI" on the next screen.

Tap 'City Administration Information' from 'MENU' and select 'Ask AI' on the next screen

Kurashiki City Official LINE

On the Kurashiki City Official LINE, please tap "Ask AI" within the "Kurashiki City Menu" on the chat screen.

A Word from the Person in Charge at Kurashiki City

Naoki Matsuoka from Kurashiki City Information Dissemination Division

Naoki Matsuoka, who is in charge of the introduction of the "Kurashiki City AI Chatbot" from the Kurashiki City Information Dissemination Division, says:

Matsuoka (no honorifics)

"We introduced this AI chatbot with the desire to provide opportunities for consultation anytime and anywhere, 24/7. The key to using it is to input specific keywords you want to know, just like in a normal conversation."

The technology of generative AI is advancing daily, continuing to evolve into a more user-friendly tool. Please feel free to use it as a partner to make life in Kurashiki City more convenient.