B SMART interview: why responsible AI is the future of citizen relations
Dominique Péré was a guest on Smart Tech on February 3. A look back at an ethical vision of AI serving local authorities and their staff.
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Dominique Péré, CEO of HelloSpot, was Delphine Sabattier’s guest on the set of Smart Tech (B SMART).
In a show devoted to “Responsible AI: a strategic imperative?”, Dominique Péré spoke up for French local authorities. Far from theoretical debates, he pointed to a reality on the ground: for public services, AI is not a futuristic option but an immediate answer to staff overload.
Screenshot of the B SMART video interview, available at: https://www.bsmart.fr/video/32012-smart-tech-03-fevrier-2026
Here are the highlights of the conversation and the convictions shared with the journalist.
”AI does not replace people, it puts them back at the center”
From the start of the interview, Delphine Sabattier raised the main fear often associated with these technologies: does artificial intelligence threaten the jobs of front desk staff?
Dominique Péré’s answer was unequivocal: “Absolutely not. Our vision at HelloSpot is that AI is there to free up staff, not to make them disappear.”
He illustrated the point by explaining to the journalist how the technology acts as a protective filter:
- The “Secretary” AI: it pre-processes requests, sorts e-mails and prepares replies.
- The “Guide” AI: it directs residents 24/7 to avoid unnecessary trips to the town hall.
“When the machine takes care of repetitive paperwork, staff can finally focus on what they do best: the human side, listening, and supporting complex cases,” he explained.
Ethical responsibility: the foundation of trust
Picking up on the theme of the show, Delphine Sabattier questioned the reliability of these tools in a field as sensitive as public service. “How do you guarantee responsible AI when you handle citizens’ data?”
For Dominique Péré, this is the cornerstone of HelloSpot’s strategy. He reminded the journalist that AI in town halls cannot be a “black box.”
“For us, responsibility means sovereignty and security,” he stated. Unlike generic consumer AI tools, the solutions HelloSpot deploys in local authorities are:
- Controlled: the AI does not pretend to be an expert; it draws its answers solely from a knowledge base approved by the town hall (the “Expert” AI).
- Secure: GDPR compliance and the protection of citizens’ data are built into the tool.
A strategic imperative for local authorities
To wrap up, the journalist asked whether this transition was within reach of every town hall, whatever its size.
Dominique Péré stressed that responsible AI is now a lever for equality between territories. It lets small organizations offer a quality of service equivalent to large cities, absorbing peaks in activity without wearing out their teams.
“Responsible AI is no longer a technological luxury; it is the tool that lets public services stay human in the face of increasingly complex procedures,” he concluded, speaking to Delphine Sabattier.
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