AI is improving America’s cities thanks to these Air Force vets

Artificial Intelligence has taken the world by storm in recent years. However, the technology has been around for longer than you might think. After Nick Mastronardi graduated from the University of Notre Dame with degrees in honors math and physics, he commissioned as an Air Force officer and went straight to work on automated systems. At the Air Force Research Lab, Mastronardi served as a research physicist and advanced munitions technology program manager. His work on feedback systems led him to teach at the Air Force Academy, where he met Alex Pedersen. After working on Amazon’s AI while continuing to serve in the Air Force Reserve, Mastronardi joined with his fellow Air Force vet to found Polco.

“The Air Force gave me great technological exposure, responsibility (often the best teacher), and taught me loads of self-discipline,” Mastronardi told WATM. “It also gave me passion to help our U.S. government(s) grow to have a, not necessarily big, but strong and healthy public sector to be able to accomplish the important things it needs to do in a dynamic and competitive world on behalf of Americans and liberty. With the technological training and passion it instilled, I ultimately felt confident enough to leave my data science role at Amazon to pursue what I knew was needed and was right with a small group of people. When I turned around, I was humbled and inspired to find a great team of hard-working and talented people working on Polco’s mission and vision with me.”

Polco is a platform that uses AI to better integrate residents with their local government in order to build stronger communities. Using secure surveys, simulation tools, and data analysis, Polco AI enhances community decision-making and helps local leaders to better serve their constituents. The company serves over 1,000 communities across the country, including Phoenix, Denver, Norfolk and New York.

One case study that highlights Polco’s utility is the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority’s budget engagement outreach. With the 2028 Summer Olympic Games coming up, LA Metro will play a major role in moving spectators around the city. Beyond the games, LA Metro aims to improve its service to Angelenos and increase ridership. Using a budget simulation, Polco turned LA Metro’s 95-page budget book into an interactive experience that allowed residents to provide feedback on their funding priorities.

Riders spent an average of 20 minutes using the tool which provided LA Metro with valuable feedback on demographics, operations, cleanliness and safety. Finally, by reporting back to residents on how their feedback will be incorporated into the budget, LA Metro created a closer bond with the residents it serves.

Analyzing data, both new and old, Polco can identify patterns and trends and suggest courses of action for governments to take before problems arise. This proactive approach can save taxpayer dollars and make governments more efficient. With this, Mastronardi is taking Polco a step further by analyzing municipal bonds being issued by state and local governments to finance public projects and services. Using the skills and knowledge acquired in the Air Force, Mastronardi and Pedersen continue to serve their fellow Americans by enabling governments to better connect with and serve their people. “I’ve made a million mistakes,” Mastronardi admitted, “but we’ve got a hard core and I think that hard core has helped us keep positive progress. On a given day, that’s all you can hope for: the ability to stay alive and keep grinding forward on what’s right.” To learn more about Polco, visit https://info.polco.us/.