Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI

This week on Reboot Democracy, Alberto Rodriguez Alvarez explores with Santi Garces how the City of Boston is experimenting with the Model Context Protocol to safely connect AI agents to government systems. Elana Banin speaks with Lorelei Kelly about new research on how deliberative technology could revive the First Amendment rights by rebuilding how civic input reaches Congress. Matt Ryan argues that developing “sovereign AI capability” in South Australia will require participatory governance, stronger public-sector skills, and reinvesting efficiency gains into public services. Beyond Reboot, Vermont’s new law requires disclosure of AI-generated campaign media. Gallup data showing 43% of public-sector employees now use AI at work. A White House meeting convened tech companies that pledged to fund power infrastructure for energy-hungry AI data centers. And New York court cases where AI chatbots generated fake legal citations that led judges to question or dismiss filings.

In this commentary, originally published by InDaily South Australia, Matt Ryan argues that artificial intelligence can help governments deliver more effective, human-centered services, but only if it builds public trust and democratic legitimacy. Drawing on examples from Spain, San Francisco, and the UK, he outlines a path for South Australia to develop “sovereign AI capability.” His proposal focuses on three priorities: participatory AI governance, stronger public-sector AI skills, and reinvesting efficiency gains into public services, ensuring AI improves government while strengthening democracy.

In this conversation with Elana Banin, Lorelei Kelly argues that rebuilding democratic resilience requires redesigning the institutional infrastructure connecting citizens to Congress. Drawing on constitutional history and emerging technologies, she explores how deliberative technology and AI could help revive the First Amendment’s promises of assembly and petition for the digital age.