Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI

This week on Reboot Democracy, Eileen Twiggs explores how storytelling can rebuild trust in government through more human-centered communication. Anjith Prakash reflects on Massachusetts’ launch of the GrantWell tool to help municipalities access $17.5 billion in federal funding by reducing application complexity. Nhial Deng examines how AI is already functioning as an economic opportunity layer in places like Kakuma refugee camp. Beyond Reboot, research supported by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation shows AI shifting power across markets and public institutions. A global Anthropic study of 81,000 users in 159 countries finds people want AI to reduce cognitive burden and expand access to learning and work. Concerns about reliability and job loss persist. The White House advanced a federal AI policy blueprint prioritizing national consistency. Russia moved to restrict the use of foreign AI tools. New deployments in Brazil are enabling climate risk mapping, while projects in Saudi Arabia’s Dammam region are using AI to support participatory urban planning.

Growing up in Kakuma refugee camp, Nhial Deng experienced what it means to be excluded from opportunities. Returning years later, he saw young people using AI not as aid, but as a tool to build skills, income, and futures in real time. This piece argues that AI is already functioning as an economic opportunity layer, but one that remains uneven and fragile without intentional design. Drawing on examples from Canada, Singapore, and Kenya, Deng outlines how governments can move from accidental access to structured opportunity by connecting AI to jobs, embedding it in trusted institutions, and building safeguards alongside deployment.

The Healey-Driscoll Administration has launched GrantWell, a free AI-powered tool developed with Northeastern University’s Burnes Center for Social Change to help municipalities more easily access and apply for federal and state funding. GrantWell helps you summarize complex grant requirements, identify opportunities, and draft early-stage proposals, reducing administrative burden and expanding capacity to secure resources