TechnologyOne unveils AI Guide for councils, students

TechnologyOne has launched Guide, an artificial intelligence assistant that residents and students can use to access local government services and higher education support through a conversational interface.

It targets TAFEs in Australia, as well as councils and universities across ANZ that already use TechnologyOne's software. TechnologyOne says its systems serve councils that cover 73% of the ANZ population, and that its platform is widely used across universities and vocational education providers.

Guide sits in front of existing council and education systems and handles requests through text or voice on a user's device. It is positioned as a single entry point for common questions and tasks that would otherwise require multiple websites, portals, forms or phone calls.

Service Access

In local government, Guide is designed to give residents location-specific information about services and regulations. It also supports everyday interactions such as requests and bookings, according to TechnologyOne.

For students, Guide focuses on academic services information, including scholarships and networking. It also includes reminders such as a to-do list and notifications for upcoming assignment deadlines.

Organisations can roll out Guide from May 2026, and TechnologyOne is working with a select group of customers ahead of broader availability.

Plus Extension

Guide builds on TechnologyOne's Plus product, introduced last year as an AI layer across public sector enterprise operations. The new assistant extends that approach outside organisations to services used directly by residents and students.

TechnologyOne says Guide can interpret a user's intent and coordinate actions across enterprise systems, with the aim of resolving issues and completing tasks through a single interface.

Guide's launch comes as public sector bodies face pressure on budgets and service levels. Councils and education providers have invested in digitising services for years, but many still rely on a mix of legacy systems and separate online portals. Vendors and institutions are increasingly turning to generative AI and conversational tools to simplify those journeys and handle higher volumes of enquiries.

TechnologyOne framed the product as a shift in how people engage with councils and education providers, and linked the release to a broader push into AI-driven software in its core markets.

Commercial Model

Alongside Guide, TechnologyOne has introduced an advertising-funded option designed for public sector and education settings. Under the model, advertising revenue would be shared between TechnologyOne and participating customers through a co-share framework.

Guide will also be offered under a conventional software-as-a-service arrangement for organisations that prefer a subscription model.

The introduction of advertising in digital service interactions may draw scrutiny from councils, education leaders and privacy advocates. Public bodies have strict obligations around data handling, procurement and communications. TechnologyOne did not provide details on ad formats, targeting or controls in the information released.

Executive View

TechnologyOne CEO and Managing Director Ed Chung linked Guide to the company's longer-term approach to digital engagement in government and education.

"For more than eight years, we've been on a mission to bring communities closer to their councils and universities," said Ed Chung, CEO and Managing Director, TechnologyOne.

He also outlined the company's view of how AI changes the user experience and the economics of public sector software.

"We're not just launching Guide - we're reinventing how it's commercialised," Chung said. "Guide will introduce an advertising-funded model designed specifically for public sector and education environments, paired with a co-share framework that aligns incentives for everyone."

TechnologyOne says it has been developing enterprise software for more than 38 years across government and higher education. With Guide, councils and education providers can choose either the advertising-funded approach or a standard subscription when the product becomes available.