Cleveland Chief Innovation and Technology Officer Elizabeth Crowe is leading a modernization effort to align city operations with rapidly advancing technology. Since becoming permanent CITO in February 2026, after serving in an interim capacity, Crowe has focused on upgrading the Office of IT and Services, the Office of Urban Analytics and Innovation, and 311. Her strategy prioritizes cybersecurity, application management, and artificial intelligence to better serve both city employees and residents. Cleveland is currently transitioning on-premise applications to software-as-a-service models and developing enterprise-level key performance indicators to underpin its AI strategy, following a 2024 cyber incident that served as a catalyst for infrastructure improvements.

Addressing employee concerns regarding AI job replacement, Crowe suggests the technology will change workflows rather than eliminate roles, drawing parallels to the adoption of computers and automobiles. The city is currently exploring AI through three distinct categories: general work assistants like Microsoft Copilot or Claude, fit-for-purpose data collection pilots such as City Detect for code enforcement, and the development of city-trained AI agents. Crowe anticipates these agents will become central to government operations within a few years.

Crowe emphasizes that the push for a tech-forward government enterprise is driven by evolving resident expectations for digital services and mobile applications. By fostering a culture of continuous learning alongside industry developments, she aims to ensure Cleveland's processes remain adaptable to future technological shifts beyond AI. Employees' commitment to improving service delivery is described as a foundational element of these modernization efforts, keeping the city braced for the public sector's future landscape.

Cleveland Chief Innovation and Technology Officer Elizabeth Crowe is leading a modernization effort to align city operations with rapidly advancing technology. Since becoming permanent CITO in February 2026, after serving in an interim capacity, Crowe has focused on upgrading the Office of IT and Services, the Office of Urban Analytics and Innovation, and 311. Her strategy prioritizes cybersecurity, application management, and artificial intelligence to better serve both city employees and residents. Cleveland is currently transitioning on-premise applications to software-as-a-service models and developing enterprise-level key performance indicators to underpin its AI strategy, following a 2024 cyber incident that served as a catalyst for infrastructure improvements.

Addressing employee concerns regarding AI job replacement, Crowe suggests the technology will change workflows rather than eliminate roles, drawing parallels to the adoption of computers and automobiles. The city is currently exploring AI through three distinct categories: general work assistants like Microsoft Copilot or Claude, fit-for-purpose data collection pilots such as City Detect for code enforcement, and the development of city-trained AI agents. Crowe anticipates these agents will become central to government operations within a few years.

Crowe emphasizes that the push for a tech-forward government enterprise is driven by evolving resident expectations for digital services and mobile applications. By fostering a culture of continuous learning alongside industry developments, she aims to ensure Cleveland's processes remain adaptable to future technological shifts beyond AI. Employees' commitment to improving service delivery is described as a foundational element of these modernization efforts, keeping the city braced for the public sector's future landscape.