A clear-eyed guide to how AI could impact Hastings, Minnesota—our residents, small businesses, schools, and City Hall. From mental health and misinformation to jobs, privacy, and public safety, we map the local risks and offer practical antidotes: policy steps for the City of Hastings and Dakota County, digital hygiene for families, playbooks for Main Street, and ethical tech design. If you care about Rivertown Days, the Mississippi River community, and the future of work in 55033, this is your roadmap to keeping Hastings human-centered in the age of algorithms.

Kierkegaard warned that the modern press manufactures a faceless “public” that levels truth and turns citizens into spectators. This piece traces that critique to today—and shows how HastingsNow.com in Hastings, MN counters it with Soundbites: 30-second, verified local voice posts labeled with How We Know evidence, a Provenance Chip, and a Reliability Score, each tied to one measurable outcome. The result is accountable, local speech that converts attention into action—rebuilding trust where people actually live.

Meet Hastings’ newest neighbors—AI agents! From 24/7 chat help for local shops to volunteer-wrangling sidekicks and virtual town-hall clerks, discover how these digital helpers tackle everyday tasks so people can focus on what matters most: building a vibrant, connected community.