No BS Bureaucracy
Welcome to "No BS Bureaucracy," your entertaining guide to local government technology and policy. Hosted by Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler, two former big-city CIOs who are anything but typical tech guys, this podcast ditches dry formalities for real talk about what works versus what’s just hype. Mike and Mark break it down with a blend of hard-earned wisdom and humor that’s more John Oliver than a civics teacher who’s given up caffeine.
Mike, Miami’s first Chief Innovation Officer, and Mark, Philly’s first Chief Geographic Information Officer, aren't just any bureaucrats—they’re creatives and community builders who found their way into technology. Mike’s a musician in the indie electronic/alt-pop band Raker, and Mark’s an improv actor, so you know things won’t be boring. Their unique blend of expertise and creativity makes for lively and always insightful conversations. Think of a "Real Time with Bill Maher" panel with Leslie Knope from “Parks and Recreation,” but suitable for work!
Join Mike and Mark as they break down the topics of the day: AI, Govtech, smart cities, innovation, data privacy, digital ID, digital transformation, leadership, people and process, and more. They tackle serious topics with a relaxed, engaging tone, but with a touch of snark. Expect candid discussions with civil servants about making a difference, successes and failures, and advice for policy makers and technologists.
If you’re into making local government better, whether you’re a politician, technology leader, or just someone who cares, "No BS Bureaucracy" is for you. Tune in, learn something new, and have a good time doing it.
(theme music, “Hologram” by Raker)
Follow Mark and Mike on LinkedIn, and Raker Instagram:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/markwheelerphl/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasti/
@rakermusic https://www.instagram.com/rakermusic
No BS Bureaucracy
Just Because genAI Can, Doesn’t Mean genAI Should - in City Hall
In Episode #3, hosts Mike Sarasti and Mark Wheeler respond to questions from listeners about generative AI. Mike and Mark make it clear: for local governments, early experimentation is valuable, but do not downplay the risks and execution considerations. Slapping on “use at your own risk” warning on your city hall genAI chatbot is maybe not the best way to actually serve the public?
- Not All AI Risk Profiles Are the Same: Local governments are conflating the very different risk profiles of generative AI vs. predictive AI, and by doing so, are creating unnecessary work and confusion about how to assess the impacts of "genAI-ifying" SaaS tools.
- Maybe Don’t Let a Copilot Take the Wheel: An immature, all-purpose generative AI, known to fabricate, is given access to the unclassified data of your workforce. What could go wrong?
- A Creative’s Organization Tool: Mike offers a more personal perspective, sharing how he uses AI tools like OpenAI’s ChatGPT to streamline his daily tasks and organizational workflows for his consulting work and his band’s music production/performances. He makes the case that while all-purpose genAI is great at organizing, he’s not relinquishing creative control.
- Focused is Better than “All-Purpose” genAI: Mark and Mike advocate for a sandboxed, focused, and restrictive use of a genAI model tailored (aka fine-tuned) for tasks on specific knowledge domains. By limiting the AI’s scope to a particular field, local governments can gain more accurate, reliable, and contextually relevant outputs, while minimizing the risk of errors.
In the closing music segment, Mike gives an update on his band, Raker, and their upcoming shows and competition showcase for the Miami Three Points festival—and the band’s latest single, “Relevant,” streaming now on all music platforms.
Featuring a “Just Say No” faux PSA by Earl Grant, local Philadelphia actor.
Follow Raker on Instagram: @rakermusic
Listen to "Relevant" on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/4JqywsINKEWZucDNYlnBBU?si=da45e2c66825465b