The City of Jena Is Testing AI-Based Support for Case Documentation in the Social Services Sector

The city of Jena is participating in the second pilot phase of the “Agentic AI Hub” launched by the Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernization (BMDS). Together with the company Sozial KI UG, the city is testing the use of artificial intelligence for case documentation in the social services sector.

The Jena pilot project focuses on how AI can support employees in time-consuming documentation tasks, thereby freeing them up to focus on their core professional work. In the coming weeks, the solution will be tested and evaluated under real-world conditions. This is explicitly intended as a test phase for now: The city aims to gather experience and assess the specific benefits the technology can offer in day-to-day administrative work.

Kathleen Lützkendorf, Director of Social Services:
“Especially in the social services sector of our administration, we need our specialists’ time above all where it matters most: working with and for people. At the same time, careful documentation and reliable administrative processes are essential. That is why we want to openly examine whether artificial intelligence can help us complete administrative tasks more efficiently. What is crucial for us is that the technology supports people—and does not replace professional decisions.”

For Jena, the project also offers an opportunity to test new AI applications early on under real-world conditions. In addition to potential time savings, the project will examine issues of practical applicability, the quality of results, and the responsible use of the technology.

Specifically, an AI agent is being developed that creates structured drafts for technical documentation based on notes and available information. The first use case is the creation of care plans. The drafts are then reviewed, supplemented, and approved by the specialists. Before deployment, the specific data that may be used will be clearly defined. Automated decisions affecting people are expressly not part of the project. The participating professionals will be trained in the use of the AI solution. 

Dorothea Prell, Smart City Coordinator for the City of Jena:
“We want to systematically tap into the benefits of artificial intelligence for public administration and deploy it where it creates tangible added value and can noticeably reduce the workload on our employees. The Agentic AI Hub provides us with a suitable framework for this: We can test new AI solutions under real-world conditions in compliance with data protection regulations, evaluate their actual effects, and determine where their use in city administration makes sense. In this way, we aim to gradually translate technological possibilities into practical solutions, improve administrative processes, and free up more time for the actual professional tasks.” 

Jena is part of a nationwide pilot project

The Agentic AI Hub brings municipalities together with specialized AI startups and scale-ups to test specific use cases in public administration. In the second round, 38 municipalities from twelve federal states are testing a total of 17 solutions. The goal is to determine where artificial intelligence can effectively support administrative processes and which applications could potentially be adapted for use in other municipalities.

Various AI applications were already tested in local governments during the first pilot phase. According to the BMDS, processing and turnaround times were significantly reduced in certain use cases.

The pilot will run through December 2026. Afterward, the city of Jena will submit an evaluation report assessing the benefits for the administration and citizens and recommending whether—and in what form—further use is advisable. In addition, the pilot project provides practical insights that will benefit the city in the responsible deployment of further AI solutions. The project is therefore being closely coordinated with the staff council.

Background: Agentic AI Hub

The Agentic AI Hub is an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Digital and State Modernization. Within this framework, municipalities and technology companies jointly develop and test concrete applications of so-called agent-based AI in public administration. The focus includes, among other things, internal administrative processes, case management, knowledge and document management, citizen interactions, as well as data and crisis management.