Public engagement matters. But governments need to learn to listen better (and faster)
Agueda Quiroga (InnovateUS) and Sarah Hubbard (Allen Lab) reflect on insights from the Reboot Democracy workshop series with Beth Noveck and Danielle Allen, and why 21st-century democracy needs better ways to connect citizen input to real outcomes. Their takeaway is that by repairing the broken links between voice, decision-making, and implementation, participation can shift from symbolic to systematic.
Published on Sep 18, 2025 by Agueda Quiroga and Sarah Hubbard
Research Radar
The Public’s Verdict on AI and Human Capacity: What it Means for Democracy
A new national survey finds that Americans overwhelmingly believe AI will diminish key human capacities, like empathy, deep thinking, and personal agency, by 2035. Writing for the Reboot Democracy Blog, Lee Rainie, Director, Imagining the Digital Future Center, explains why this skepticism poses a threat to the foundations of democratic life and calls for AI systems that reinforce dignity, trust, and civic strength.
Published on Sep 17, 2025 by Lee Rainie
AI and Public Engagement
AI is a Power Tool, Not a Decision Maker: Essential Lessons for Law Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies are under pressure to explore AI, but the real lesson is to treat it like any other power tool. In a recent workshop, Rutgers Senior Fellow Mark Genatempo stressed that AI should support, not replace, human decision-making. From distinguishing between machine learning, predictive analytics, and generative AI, to auditing data and building community trust, the key is preparation, oversight, and transparency. With the right training and safeguards, AI can enhance public safety without undermining accountability.
Published on Sep 16, 2025 by Jessica Silverman
Governing AI
From Interim to Institution: New Jersey’s Three-Pillar Strategy for Responsible AI
With its new 2025 AI policy, New Jersey has advanced from interim guidance that encouraged experimentation to a framework that enables safe, large-scale use. Building on two years of training and adoption by more than 15,000 public servants, the state is now focused on using AI not just to streamline work, but to deliver better services where it matters most.
Published on Sep 15, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
AI and Law
Work with what you have: how Vietnam is using AI as a way to encourage a learning culture among public servants
While the West races toward artificial general intelligence, Vietnam is charting a different path with “Applied AI,” using tools like ChatGPT to overcome language barriers, limited budgets, and institutional bottlenecks. At the Academy of Public Administration and Governance in Vietnam, civil servants are building AI literacy and shifting to adaptive, tech-savvy governance. With 136 AI-assisted case studies developed in one summer, a new handbook on AI for development, and plans for an AI-powered support chatbot, Vietnam shows how even modest experiments can spark a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and public sector transformation.
Published on Sep 10, 2025 by Giulio Quaggiotto
Inaugural AI 50 List Recognizes The GovLab, Beth Noveck, Santiago Garces, and more
The Center for Public Sector AI has launched a new recognition initiative called The AI 50, which honors people and institutions that are playing important roles in implementing and developing artificial intelligence within government agencies.
Published on Aug 13, 2025 by Angelique Casem and Bonnie McGilpin
AI and Lawmaking
AI Can Revolutionize Policy Research – But Only If Implemented Responsibly
Artificial intelligence can transform evidence-based policymaking by enabling policymakers to cast a wider net for evidence, synthesize evidence more rapidly, and incorporate better and deeper engagement with communities. However, this transformation also presents significant challenges from bias and transparency concerns to the risk of over-reliance on algorithmic outputs. By understanding the promise and the pitfalls of AI-enabled research tools, while keeping human expertise at the center of the process, we can harness these powerful tools to serve the public interest while preserving the democratic values of transparency, accountability, and inclusive governance.
Published on Jul 16, 2025 by Dane Gambrell
AI and Service Delivery
New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Utah Lead States in AI Readiness, Report Finds
A new Code for America assessment looks at how states are adopting artificial intelligence to support the design, delivery, and evaluation of public services. While most states remain in early development stages, the three leading states distinguished themselves by building comprehensive governance frameworks, investing in workforce training, and establishing dedicated leadership structures to support the responsible and effective use of AI.
Published on Jul 10, 2025 by Dane Gambrell
AI and Law
Coming Soon: InnovateUS to Offer Training on Responsible AI for Public Sector Legal Professionals
InnovateUS is excited to announce "Responsible AI for Public Sector Legal Professionals," two free courses which equip public sector lawyers and legal support staff to safely and responsibly use AI tools and implement AI systems to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their work while safeguarding sensitive information. Co-created with senior legal and technical leaders from state agencies, the curriculum is designed for government attorneys, legal support staff, policymakers, and compliance officers seeking to harness AI's potential while upholding professional and ethical responsibilities.
Published on May 20, 2025 by Dane Gambrell, Bonnie McGilpin and Jessica Silverman
AI and Service Delivery
DOGE Is Using AI To Centralize Government Power. It’s Time to Flip the Script.
The Trump administration’s January 20 executive order rechristening the US Digital Service as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has effectively hijacked the civic tech movement. While the US Digital Service focused on life-saving and government improvement functions, DOGE has used AI and other advanced technologies to burrow deep into administrative datasets and monopolize control. It’s time to flip the script (again) and break the government’s stranglehold on information. Rather than centralize power, let’s use AI to distribute it.
Published on May 19, 2025 by Neil Kleiman and Eric Gordon
Leading with Purpose: Social Change in the AI Age: Delivered at the Kean University Honors Convocation
In our AI revolution, we face a pivotal choice between using these unprecedented cognitive tools to amplify our worst tendencies or solve humanity's greatest challenges. As New Jersey's Chief AI Strategist, I've witnessed firsthand how AI can transform public services, but becoming true "public entrepreneurs" requires more than technology—it demands purpose, partnership, problem definition, and participation to create meaningful change in an increasingly fractured world. Read my effort to offer hope to honors graduates of Kean University facing the collapse of dignity, decency, and due process.
Published on May 14, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Governing AI
House Republicans Include AI Regulation Preemption in Budget Reconciliation Bill
House Republicans have introduced a provision in the Budget Reconciliation bill that would prevent states from regulating artificial intelligence systems for a decade. This move represents a striking departure from traditional Republican advocacy for states' rights, as the party now seeks to impose federal preemption over state-level AI safety and accountability measures. Even if it doesn't survive markup, the intent is clear: technological accelerationism above all else.
Published on May 13, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Research Radar
Research Radar: Co-Designing AI Systems
ETH Zurich researchers introduce "Value-Sensitive Citizen Science," a systematic framework combining design principles with citizen science to foster meaningful public participation in AI development. The paper provides a structured approach to embed community values directly into technical systems, critical as AI increasingly shapes societal outcomes.
Published on May 13, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Governing AI
Governing AI: Fired Over Fair Use - The Bombshell AI-Training Report
President Trump’s weekend firing of the Register of Copyrights spotlights a 113-page bombshell report that brands large-scale AI training as prima-facie infringement. The Copyright Office sides with copyright owners while offering a nuanced analysis and leaving it to the market to sort out. Dive into jargon-free breakdown, political context, and a reality-check on where the Office’s analysis still misses the mark.
Published on May 12, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Global AI Watch: Listening to Public Servants - What Dubai and New Jersey Teach Us About AI Readiness
Dubai's comprehensive 60-question AI survey yielded just 4% participation while New Jersey's streamlined, AI-assisted approach garnered 5,000 responses in three weeks—yet both revealed similar insights about public servants' AI readiness. This natural experiment demonstrates that effective government listening must evolve to be shorter, faster, and continuous, while measuring success beyond efficiency to include quality, transparency, and meaningful human augmentation.
