Responding, collaborating, innovating: 50 years of commitment to better public services
For 50 years, CGI has worked alongside governments and public-sector organizations to respond to complex challenges and improve the services people depend on. In British Columbia, that commitment came to life through the rapid development of an AI-powered digital assistant that helped residents and healthcare workers access timely, reliable information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The digital assistant was created in response to rising call volumes and long wait times on the province’s 811 health line. Government, clinical and CGI experts worked together to design, train and launch the solution rapidly. Within seven days, a patient advocacy group was helping train the AI, and one week later the chatbot was available to the public. It handled more than 15,000 requests in its first week, giving residents immediate answers while helping reduce pressure on existing channels.
The solution also supported healthcare workers by responding to operational questions, including guidance related to personal protective equipment. Its success led to broader use across the British Columbia health sector, including virtual-agent capabilities with live handoffs to nurses and digital transcription that could be added to patient records.
Beyond the immediate response, the work demonstrated how cloud-based AI and digital engagement tools could help public organizations communicate more effectively, expand access to information and adapt services quickly without major infrastructure investments.
What began as a rapid response to an urgent public-health need became a broader example of how collaboration and technology can make essential information more accessible when people need it most.
Read the original case study here.
