Jeff Bezos posed an interesting idea recently at a business forum: that cities like Miami should use AI to review building permits and deliver yes-or-no decisions in seconds. If rejected, the system should instantly identify the exact changes required for approval. His broader point was clear—as AI transforms nearly every industry, government bureaucracy remains stuck in the past.

Bezos’ idea is prescient. Fast-growing cities across the U.S. face persistent home shortages, and a major bottleneck is the permitting process. In truly restrictive ones like Los Angeles, permitting can take a year-plus (see our recent piece on how this slowed the post-wildfire rebuild); while even in more permissive Sunbelt ones like Miami, where Bezos was speaking, it can take months. 

Yet, the technology to streamline this already exists. The primary barrier isn’t technical, but political.

Today’s permitting systems are relics of an analog era. A typical application undergoes multiple layers of review: zoning compliance, structural safety, fire code, energy standards, accessibility, and trade-specific approvals like plumbing, electrical, and HVAC. Each step often requires separate documents and approvals from different........

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