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
AI and Lawmaking
Research Radar: RAND on AI-Enabled Policymaking: Opportunities, Obstacles, and the Road Ahead
A report on a recent workshop cohosted by RAND, the Stimson Center, and the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change explores how AI can support more effective policymaking. AI shows promise for automating routine tasks and democratizing access to analysis tools, but there are significant structural barriers to realizing AI's potential in policymaking. To move forward, we need more real-world case studies of AI use in governance and strategic adoption focused on maintaining human oversight and building the skills to deploy these tools responsibly.
Published on Sep 9, 2025 by Dane Gambrell
AI and Public Engagement
Governing with AI - Learning the How-To's of AI-Enhanced Public Engagement
Public engagement has long been too time-consuming and costly for governments to sustain, but AI offers tools to make participation more systematic and impactful. Our new Reboot Democracy Workshop Series replaces lectures with hands-on sessions that teach the practical “how-to’s” of AI-enhanced engagement. Together with leading practitioners and partners at InnovateUS and the Allen Lab at Harvard, we’ll explore how AI can help institutions tap the collective intelligence of our communities more efficiently and effectively.
Published on Sep 8, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
AI and Public Engagement
Join People Powered on September 16 for the Release of New Guidance on AI for Digital Democracy
Join People Powered on September 16 for the release of new guidance based on global case studies for AI for Digital Democracy.
Published on Aug 27, 2025 by Bonnie McGilpin
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
Governing AI
Highway Engineer tool created by AI for Impact students highlighted by NBC Boston
HEKA, the Highway Engineer Knowledge Agent chatbot created through the AI for Impact co-op program is empowering design engineers in the MassDOT Highway Division to efficiently query department manuals and documentation, aiding in the design of quicker and safer infrastructure projects for commuters in Massachusetts. It was recently highlighted by NBC 10 Boston.
Published on Jul 7, 2025 by Bonnie McGilpin
AI and Public Engagement
Research Radar: AI Speeds Up Government Consultation Analysis Without Sacrificing Quality
New research from the UK Gov shows how AI could make it easier for institutions to do public engagement. A new process called "Consult" combined AI with human oversight to analyze public consultation responses with 76% accuracy in seconds.
Published on Jun 17, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Governing AI
The debate over state-level AI bans misses the point
While Washington fights over who gets to say "no" to AI, they're missing the bigger question: how can we actually use these tools to fix our broken institutions? States like Ohio and New Jersey are already proving AI's transformative potential—cutting millions in bureaucratic waste, speeding up citizen services, and making government actually work for people. The real debate shouldn't be about regulation versus innovation, but about the AI we need to build, buy, and design to strengthen democracy.
Published on Jun 16, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Research Radar
Research Radar: The Agentic State: A 20-Year Wish List, Finally Within Reach?
This week’s Research Radar highlights The Agentic State, an ambitious whitepaper arguing that AI agents could reshape the core functions of government. It’s a timely vision for public sector transformation —worth reading, debating, and building on.
Published on Jun 3, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
AI for Governance
Civic and Democratic AI: A New Course for Community Action
We are developing "Civic and Democratic AI," an 8-part WhatsApp course that teaches people how to use generative AI to navigate government processes, understand complex documents, and organize for community action. The course aims to provide practical AI skills for civic engagement. We are seeking feedback on the course content. Share your insights and expertise as we roll out this free program to help communities use AI to understand their government, access their rights, and organize for change.
Published on Jun 2, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
Research Radar
Research Radar: Dreaming Better Elections Into Reality
A new white paper from The Institutional Architecture Lab argues that combating AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic content in elections requires purpose-built institutions. The authors propose Electoral Integrity Institutions that would coordinate across government, tech platforms, and civil society to scan, assess, and respond to synthetic content threats. But the paper also provokes a fundamental question: should we design institutions defensively to react to AI threats, or offensively to build better, more participatory and representative elections?
Published on May 27, 2025 by Beth Simone Noveck
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
