Stephen White - Applications of AI and Large Language Models

The property assessment profession sits at a peculiar crossroads. We're tasked with leveraging cutting-edge technology to improve accuracy and efficiency, while simultaneously navigating an increasingly fraught relationship with the public we serve. This tension emerged clearly in my recent conversation with Stephen White, Director of the Cobb County Board of Assessors in Georgia, who brings 25 years of perspective to these challenges.

The Safety Crisis We Don't Talk About Enough

Let's address the elephant in the room first. White's revelations about field safety should concern every assessor and local government leader. When he started in Erie County, Pennsylvania, the biggest field hazard was an aggressive dog. Today, his staff in suburban Atlanta face guns being pulled on them and vehicles being rammed.

"We've had a lot of very scary situations," White shared, describing incidents that would make any manager lose sleep. "Some people ram their cars with their own vehicle."

This isn't just a Cobb County problem. The shift from occasional difficult encounters to genuine safety threats reflects broader societal changes, increased distrust of government, misconceptions about the assessor's role, and a general volatility that wasn't present two decades ago.

White's response has been pragmatic: high-visibility vests clearly marked "Assessor's Office," prominent government vehicle markings, and sending teams of two when concerns arise. But perhaps more telling is his office's strategic pivot toward technology-enabled assessment methods that reduce field exposure. It's a stark reminder that employee safety must drive operational decisions, not just efficiency metrics.

The AI Revolution Is Here, And It's About Time

While safety concerns push assessors to reconsider field work, artificial intelligence offers a compelling alternative path. White's enthusiasm for AI isn't the breathless hype we often hear from vendors, it's the measured excitement of a practitioner who sees genuine operational transformation.

Consider this: Cobb County's traditional residential valuation model setup takes six weeks. With AI-powered tools launching this October, they'll compress that timeline to eight hours. That's not incremental improvement; it's a fundamental shift in how assessment offices can operate.

But White's approach reveals the mature thinking our profession needs. "We don't do anything without checking and then having a supervisor check and having a manager check," he emphasized. The technology accelerates the process without eliminating human oversight, a critical distinction as we navigate public trust issues.

Three AI applications stand out from Cobb County's implementation:

1. Automated valuation modeling - The eight-hour miracle replacing six weeks of setup
2. Condition assessment from MLS photos - Catching interior issues that field visits might miss
3. A ChatGPT-style interface for legal and policy questions - Complete with source documentation

That last application particularly impressed me. How many hours do we collectively waste digging through statutes and policy manuals? White's team will simply ask their AI assistant and receive both the answer and the supporting documentation.

The Human Side of Digital Transformation

Technology adoption in government often fails not because of the technology itself, but because of how it's introduced to staff. White's October 1 launch date comes with a thoughtful change management approach.

"In order for this to really fly, we got to let the employees get comfortable with it," he noted, emphasizing hands-on training and ample opportunity for questions. His acknowledgment that longtime employees might ask "Why do we need to do this? The old way works fine" shows the empathy required for successful transformation.

This isn't White's first rodeo with technology adoption. His experience shows: acknowledging resistance is normal, providing thorough training is essential, and demonstrating value through results, not rhetoric, wins converts.

Customer Service as Survival Strategy

In an era of public distrust, exceptional customer service isn't just nice to have, it's existential. White's 24-hour response rule applies not just to taxpayers but to internal communications as well. "I want them to hang up the phone and say, 'Well, that went better than I thought it was going to go,'" he explained.

This philosophy extends beyond quick responses. White personally monitors the office's general email inbox, using it as an early warning system for emerging issues and service gaps. It's a practice more directors should consider, direct taxpayer feedback, unfiltered by layers of management, provides invaluable insight.

His point about customers preferring email over office visits resonates deeply. Why battle traffic to visit our offices when a well-crafted email could resolve the issue? Forward-thinking offices are building robust digital communication channels that meet taxpayers where they are.

Building Tomorrow's Assessment Workforce

Perhaps most encouraging was White's perspective on recruitment and retention. In a tight labor market, he's flipped the traditional interview dynamic: "They're trying to sell themselves on me. But we as an interview panel have to sell county government on them."

Speed matters. Good candidates have options, and government's traditionally deliberate hiring process loses talent to faster-moving employers. But beyond speed, White emphasizes the career potential in assessment work, stable income, meaningful work, and genuine advancement opportunities.

His term "the accidental industry" rings true. Few college students dream of becoming assessors, yet many of us build rewarding careers here. That's a messaging challenge we must address collectively.

Key Takeaways

For Assessors and Staff:

• Employee safety must drive operational decisions, consider technology alternatives to reduce field exposure
• AI tools can dramatically accelerate workflows while maintaining quality control through human oversight
• Customer service excellence, including rapid response times, builds trust in an era of government skepticism

For Leadership:

• Technology adoption succeeds through thoughtful change management, not mandates
• Direct monitoring of taxpayer communications provides invaluable operational intelligence
• Recruitment requires selling your office's value proposition, not just evaluating candidates

For the Profession:

• We must collectively address the safety crisis facing field staff
• AI implementation should enhance, not replace, professional judgment
• Building public trust through transparency and service remains our most critical challenge

The assessment profession stands at an inflection point. We can leverage technology to work smarter and safer while strengthening public trust through exceptional service. Or we can resist change and watch our challenges compound. White's experience in Cobb County suggests the path forward is clear, even if it isn't always easy.