Rapid technological development and increasing accessibility to powerful A.I. tools have made it easier for the public to access critical court and county resources. This is especially true for suburban and urban residents, who are concentrated in areas that offer nearby court resources and easier accessibility. However, the same reality is not the case for all citizens. Too often, it can be challenging for those in rural areas, where public services are not always readily accessible, to get the proper resources and information they need.
Long distances to court and municipal buildings, limited public transportation, poor broadband infrastructure, and shortages of resources create barriers for millions of citizens trying to access vital resources. However, this digital divide can be filled through advancements in A.I., which are streamlining court and county operations and increasing access to justice. Powerful A.I. tools, like those provided by Advanced Robot Solutions (ARS), are allowing rural communities the same level of accessibility as their urban counterparts.
Like many rural community officials, Ottawa County, Michigan, county staff identified challenges in delivering government services fast and efficiently to their constituency spread over more than 1,000 square miles. To solve these challenges, Ottawa County partnered with ARS to develop an A.I. self-service kiosk solution that would help citizens get to their desired destination, streamline processes, and provide greater accessibility to the rural community.
Now, in 2025, Ottawa County is home to a network of four A.I. self-service kiosks that act as an ecosystem of accessibility for residents. Conversational A.I. avatars act as digital concierge, helping visitors with wayfinding, answering their Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), and providing directory assistance. Two of the A.I. kiosks are dedicated workstations that handle form filing and accept credit card payments, reducing wait times and streamlining the filing process. If users encounter issues, they can quickly connect to on-site and off-site staff via telepresence, maintaining accessibility to important officials, such as the county clerk, during operating hours. These features allow community members who have already traveled long distances to save time in the municipal building and reduce processing time for county officials.
Through this initiative, Ottawa County addressed its challenges head-on, bridging the gap between rural residents and public services and increasing access to justice. However, our work does not stop here as Ottawa County and ARS look to expand the A.I. self-service kiosk program to other locations across the county. Beyond Ottawa County, ARS hopes to work with many other rural communities to provide greater access to justice.
A.I. tools such as ARS’s self-service kiosks are successfully addressing the challenges of accessibility in rural communities head-on. Our deployment in Ottawa County demonstrates not only our success but the success of A.I. as a vital link between rural residents and county resources. These tools have immense potential to serve millions of residents who otherwise cannot easily access court and county resources. As we continue to expand our A.I. self-service solutions, we envision a future where rural communities have the same accessibility as their urban counterparts and where all communities continue to increase access to justice through the power of A.I.
To learn more about our Ottawa County, MI, deployment, access the case study here!
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