TLDR: San Bernardino County has been recognized with a sixth-place award in the prestigious Digital Counties 2025 program for its strategic adoption of artificial intelligence and data analytics. The county’s initiatives aim to enhance service delivery, boost operational efficiencies, and reduce costs across various departments.
San Bernardino, CA – San Bernardino County has earned a distinguished sixth-place award in the largest population category of the 2025 Digital Counties awards program, presented by the Center for Digital Government. This recognition highlights the county’s forward-thinking approach to leveraging technology, particularly artificial intelligence and data, to significantly improve public services.
Under the strategic leadership of CIO Lynn Fyhrlund, San Bernardino County has embarked on a comprehensive technology initiative focused on optimizing service delivery, enhancing operational efficiencies, and achieving cost reductions. A key component of this strategy is the establishment of a Business Relationship Management division and the enhancement of its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. By integrating Microsoft Dynamics 365, the county has substantially built out its analytics capabilities, providing deeper insights into service needs and performance.
In a significant move to maximize operational impact, the county is actively integrating artificial intelligence into its workflows. The Innovation and Technology Department has notably introduced GitHub Copilot within its Solutions Development team. This AI-powered tool has already demonstrated remarkable results, leading to a reported 30 percent reduction in project timelines and a notable minimization of code errors, accelerating application development.
Further demonstrating its commitment to AI-driven solutions, San Bernardino County has deployed the Wordly translation platform. This technology facilitates real-time translations during board meetings, ensuring broader accessibility and participation for a diverse populace.
The county has also embraced drone innovations and policy development through the San Bernardino International Airport UAS Center. This initiative has standardized the governance framework for departments interested in utilizing drone technology. Complementing this, Esri’s GIS platform is being used to process aerial data, with an enterprise agreement ensuring unrestricted access to this crucial data for all relevant departments. This GIS technology has proven particularly useful in the annual point-in-time count of unsheltered and sheltered homeless populations, aiding in targeted outreach and volunteer efforts.
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Beyond service enhancement, San Bernardino County has made significant strides in bolstering its cybersecurity posture. In 2024, the Countywide Information Security Program expanded to include a dedicated Threat Intelligence team, tasked with monitoring and countering incoming digital threats. The county has also fortified its phishing simulation program, incorporating progressive models to continuously test and improve employee awareness against cyberattacks.
