Rebooting Democracy in the Age of AI

Stefaan Verhulst and Adam Zable argue that the biggest challenge in open data is no longer access, but usability, as official statistics remain difficult to find, interpret, and apply. Drawing on the International Monetary Fund’s StatGPT new research, it shows how artificial intelligence could transform access through natural language interfaces, while warning that accuracy and trust depend on retrieving authoritative data rather than generating answers. The article situates this shift within a broader “Fourth Wave of Open Data,” calling for new data systems and governance approaches that make information truly usable and reliable.

This piece by John Wihbey and Jill Abramson distills lessons from the InnovateUS Amplify workshop series, where public-sector communicators grappled with how AI is reshaping their work amid declining public trust. Across sessions, we learn that AI can accelerate research, synthesis, and storytelling, but it cannot replace judgment, verification, or institutional values. As communicators adopt new tools, the opportunity lies in using AI to strengthen transparency, credibility, and connection with the public, rather than erode them.

Following the success of a 1,200-person pilot across eight state agencies, New York is scaling InnovateUS' AI training initiative to more than 100,000 state employees, the largest program of its kind in the nation. Read the NYS press release detailing the expansion, which focuses on helping public servants build the skills and knowledge to responsibly use emerging technologies for the public good.