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Public AI is a structured knowledge base of tools and resources that AI assistants can access programmatically to help users with real-world tasks.

What is Public AI? edit

Public AI serves as a bridge between AI assistants (like Claude, ChatGPT, etc.) and real-world information that users need. Instead of AI assistants having outdated or incomplete information, they can query this wiki to get current, accurate, and localized data.

How It Works edit

  1. Structured Data: Information is stored using MediaWiki's Cargo extension, making it queryable like a database
  2. MCP Server: A FastMCP server reads from this wiki and exposes the data as tools that AI assistants can use
  3. AI Integration: When you ask an AI assistant a question (e.g., "What's the suicide hotline in Singapore?"), it queries this wiki and gives you current information

Use Cases edit

  • Crisis Support: Get current hotline numbers and resources for mental health emergencies
  • Transit Information: Real-time public transportation schedules and routes
  • Events & Activities: Discover upcoming community events and festivals
  • Location Services: Search for places and get geographic information
  • And more...: Any information that benefits from being current, localized, and structured

Understanding Public AI Tools edit

Public AI has two types of tools, each serving different purposes:

Wiki Tools MCP Tools
Data lives in this wiki
The MCP server reads and serves wiki content to AI assistants
Code lives in GitHub repository
Python functions that integrate with external APIs
Examples: Examples:
  • Swiss Transit - Calls transport.opendata.ch API
  • Singapore Carparks - Queries data.gov.sg API
Who can contribute: Anyone (no coding required) Who can contribute: Developers (Python required)
Best for:
  • Location-specific resources
  • Information that changes over time
  • Data that needs community verification
  • Custom data structures per tool
Best for:
  • Real-time API integrations
  • Complex data processing
  • External service connections

Browse All Tools edit

Tool description community has resources
Main Page No
Tool:SuicideHotline International suicide prevention hotlines and crisis support resources Singapore Switzerland Yes
Tool:UpcomingBTO Upcoming Build-To-Order (BTO) public housing launches in Singapore Singapore Yes
Tool:UpcomingEvents Community and public events happening in various locations Singapore Yes

How to Contribute edit

Choose your contribution pathway based on what you want to do:

1️⃣ Add Data to an Existing Tool edit

Add or update localized data for an existing tool

Difficulty: Easy (no coding required)

Perfect for:

  • Adding suicide hotline numbers for your country
  • Contributing upcoming events in your region
  • Adding local crisis resources
  • Verifying and updating existing information

Quick start:

  1. Browse the tools above and find one with has_resources=true
  2. Check the tool's page for its custom resource template (e.g., Template:SuicideHotlineResource, Template:UpcomingEventsResource)
  3. Create or edit a page: Resource:ToolName/YourLocation
  4. Use the tool's specific resource template with the appropriate fields
  5. Fill in your local data and save!

💡 Tip: Look at existing resources for that tool to see what fields are available and how to format your data.


2️⃣ Create a New Wiki Tool edit

Design a new tool with a custom data structure

Difficulty: Medium

When to use this:

  • You have location-specific data that communities can maintain
  • The information doesn't require API calls
  • You need a specific data structure for your use case

Quick start:

  1. Create Template:YourToolNameResource - define your data fields (see Template:SuicideHotlineResource or Template:UpcomingBTOResource as examples)
  2. Create Tool:YourToolName - use the Template:Tl template with has_resources=true
  3. Create Resource:YourToolName/Location - add your first resource using your template
  4. Go to Special:CargoTables, find your table, and click "Recreate data"

💡 Important: ALL resource templates must include these baseline fields: tool, country, region, last_verified. Your table name must be YourToolNameResources for the MCP server to work.


3️⃣ Add a New MCP Tool edit

Implement a Python tool that integrates with external APIs

Difficulty: Advanced (requires Python/coding)

When to use this:

  • You need to call external APIs (weather, transit, etc.)
  • The tool requires real-time data
  • Complex logic or data transformation is needed

Quick start:

  1. Fork the repository
  2. Add your @mcp.tool() function to main.py
  3. Test locally with python main.py
  4. Submit a Pull Request

Example tools to create:

  • Weather API integrations
  • Stock market data
  • Real-time transit for other countries
  • News aggregators

Quick Decision Guide edit

I want to... Use this pathway
Add data to an existing tool 1️⃣ Add Data to an Existing Tool
Create a tool with custom data fields 2️⃣ Create a New Wiki Tool
Build an API integration or complex tool 3️⃣ Add a New MCP Tool

Examples to Learn From edit

Well-designed Tools:

How Resource Templates Work edit

Each tool defines its own resource template with exactly the fields it needs:

Tool Template Custom Fields Notes
Tool:SuicideHotline Template:SuicideHotlineResource primary_phone, secondary_phone, text_service, online_chat_url, youth_hotline, emergency_services, languages, availability Multi-country, uses region for states/provinces
Tool:UpcomingEvents Template:UpcomingEventsResource event_name, event_type, start_date, end_date, venue, address, admission, description, registration_url Multi-country, region optional
Tool:UpcomingBTO Template:UpcomingBTOResource launch_month, location, unit_count, flat_types, classification Single-country (Singapore only), region left empty
Your tool! Template:YourToolResource Whatever fields you need! Remember: tool, country, region, last_verified are always required

This gives tool creators complete flexibility to structure their data appropriately.

Guidelines edit

Quality Standards edit

  • Accuracy: All information must be current and verified
  • Verification: Always include a last_verified date
  • Completeness: Fill in all relevant fields for your resource
  • Localization: Information should be specific to the country/region
  • Neutrality: Present information objectively without bias

What Belongs Here edit

Good candidates for Wiki Tools:

  • Information that changes over time (phone numbers, schedules, events)
  • Localized data (country/region-specific resources)
  • Public services (hotlines, transit, emergency services, events)
  • Data that AI assistants frequently need but may not have current info on
  • Information that benefits from community verification

Not appropriate:

  • Personal or private information
  • Copyrighted content without permission
  • Information that rarely changes and is well-known (e.g., historical facts)
  • Opinion pieces or subjective content
  • Time-sensitive data that changes by the minute (use MCP tools with APIs instead)