Earlier this month, state legislators packed into the House chamber for Gov. Jared Polis’s State of the State address, in which he outlined some of the top issues facing Coloradans today. It’s no surprise housing, public safety and the state’s transportation network were at the top of the list. Fortunately, public- and private-sector leaders across Colorado are collaborating to leverage the latest technological advancements to develop innovative solutions to these stubborn policy challenges that have frustrated lawmakers for years.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated the housing affordability crisis that has plagued Colorado for more than a decade. In 2019, our state already faced a housing deficit of 100,000 units, and we’re still in need of “tens of thousands of units” according to the executive order issued by Gov. Polis in August. As the pandemic pushed many tenants and homeowners to the brink, Colorado Smart Cities Alliance (CSCA), a non-profit comprised of government, business and allied organizations, forged a partnership between the City of Woodland Park and a groundbreaking data platform called UrbanFootprint to inform policymakers where evictions and foreclosures were most likely to occur. In addition to identifying which populations may be most vulnerable to rising housing costs, these insights also help guide the effective allocation of taxpayer resources, such as rental aid, to residents who need them most.

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More recently, CSCA unveiled the winners of their 2023 Connected Colorado (C²) Challenge, which sought applications from tech leaders looking to partner with communities across the state to tackle specific transportation and safety challenges. It’s no coincidence these objectives align with the top issues facing Colorado policymakers. Winners of this year’s C² Challenge included Clovity’s partnership with the City of Greeley to deploy artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technology to detect car crashes and improve first responder coordination and response times. Arapahoe County and Commerce City will leverage CityROVER’s AI and cloud services to identify and log deficient transportation infrastructure for the cities’ maintenance personnel to expedite project delivery.

AI, IoT and other emerging technologies are changing the game for how governments and private entities develop enduring solutions for these pressing issues. However, they are also helping to improve governments and businesses themselves. Lazarillo, another C² Challenge winner, is working with the City and County of Denver at Denver International Airport to assist Colorado locals and visitors with disabilities in navigating the airport using advanced positioning technology and a mobile application. Prior C² Challenge award recipient Kaizen Labs helped the City of Castle Pines redesign the digital engagement experience for citizens to increase accessibility to parks and recreation facilities by 200% in just nine months.

Cities and communities across Colorado — from Denver to Grand Junction — are taking advantage of the opportunities AI and the latest digital tools offer their city planners, transportation networks and local governments. This cooperative approach allows for public officials to better understand tech platforms and work collaboratively to get the most return on investment from their tailored applications. State and federal policymakers should emulate this process when developing legislation and rules for AI and other emerging technologies, to ensure well-intentioned regulatory initiatives don’t miss the mark and needlessly stifle innovation.

Colorado is ahead of the curve when it comes to leveraging cutting-edge technology to advance solutions for our housing, safety and transportation challenges, and I have always been surprised by how many entrepreneurs are ready and willing to bring their expertise to bear on these pressing issues. Private and public leaders should take them up on their offer.

Tyler Svitak is the Executive Director of the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance.