City-run free open-source AI service

The idea

I propose establishing a "Boston Municipal AI" service: a secure, city-run portal providing free, open-source AI tools to all Bostonians. The project involves deploying high-performing, open-weight models on city-owned, bare-metal multi-GPU servers.

Who it helps and why

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming an essential utility for workforce development, education, and daily productivity. However, access to these tools is increasingly controlled by a few massive US tech companies. These corporations are raising subscription prices, engaging in anti-consumer practices, and harvesting vast amounts of personal user data to train future models. This dynamic creates a digital divide where lower-income residents are priced out of critical technology, while those who can afford it are forced to surrender their privacy. By providing municipal AI, we guarantee that all residents have equitable access to cutting-edge technological tools, leveling the playing field for Boston's students, small business owners, and job seekers. Furthermore, because the infrastructure is localized on city-managed enterprise hardware, resident data never leaves the community. This protects Bostonians from corporate price gouging and data extraction, establishing Boston as a pioneer in equitable, privacy-respecting public digital infrastructure.