Reboot Democracy: Designing Democratic Engagement for the AI Era

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A hands-on workshop series.

Learn how to design effective and efficient AI-enhanced citizen engagement that translates public input into meaningful outcomes. This series is hosted and curated by Beth Simone Noveck, founder of InnovateUS and the GovLab and Danielle Allen, Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, who will also serve as part of the faculty.

This workshop series teaches you practical skills to leverage AI and digital platforms for participation that is more inclusive, responsive, and effective at turning community voices into real policy and service improvements.

Join leading practitioners and learn how to go beyond one-way consultation to collaborative problem-solving that harnesses AI's potential while maintaining democratic integrity. Attend the full series or join individual workshops. Each workshop offers a certificate of attendance, and participants who complete the full series will receive a certificate of completion. Be sure to check back as we continue to confirm the roster of speakers.

Workshops

Why Public Engagement?
Beth Simone Noveck , Founder of InnovateUS and Chief AI Strategist, New Jersey
Danielle Allen , Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, Harvard Kennedy School

September 11, 2025

3:00 PM ET

Understand the case for public engagement in an AI era. Discuss the values, risks, and potential of AI to support civic participation—if designed well. Come away with a nine-step checklist for designing effective and efficient engagement with AI.

Different AI Horses for Different Courses: Matching Tools to Purpose
Speaker TBD , TBD

September 17, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Explore how to select the right AI tool for the right purpose from deliberation to co-creation, from problem definition to solution identification.

Designing Smarter Engagement with AI
Beth Simone Noveck , Founder of InnovateUS and Chief AI Strategist, New Jersey
Sofía Bosch Gómez , Assistant Professor in the Department of Art + Design and Fellow at the Burnes Center for Social Change, Northeastern University

September 24, 2025

3:00 PM ET

Learn a practical framework for structuring inclusive, AI-supported public engagement.

Defining Problems with the Public
Speaker TBD , TBD

October 1, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Learn how AI can help communities identify and frame policy challenges collaboratively, moving beyond expert-driven problem definition to inclusive priority- and agenda-setting.

Solving Problems with the Public
Speaker TBD , TBD

October 6, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Learn how to systematically analyze and structure participation feedback.

Co-Creating with the Multi-Lingual Communities
Sofía Bosch Gómez , Assistant Professor in the Department of Art + Design and Fellow at the Burnes Center for Social Change, Northeastern University

October 15, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Learn how to design AI tools with—not for—diverse communities facing language and cultural barriers.

Listening to the Public with AI
Speaker TBD , TBD

November 3, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Master AI tools for processing large volumes of public input while preserving nuance, sentiment, and minority perspectives.

Citizen Assemblies and AI
Speaker TBD , TBD

November 10, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Explore how artificial intelligence can enhance citizen assemblies and other deliberative democratic innovations.

Deliberating with the Public
Speaker TBD , TBD

December 2, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Experience how AI can support structured public deliberation, from digital town halls to consensus-building platforms that bridge divides.

Measuring Impact of AI-Enhanced Engagement
Speaker TBD , TBD

December 11, 2025

2:00 PM ET

Learn how to evaluate whether AI-powered participation actually solves real problems and improves people's lives.

What You'll Learn

Through interactive case studies, skill-building exercises, and peer discussion, participants will master how to design and implement participatory processes that harness AI's potential while maintaining democratic integrity. You'll leave with actionable frameworks, templates, and strategies for more cost-effective and efficient engagement that delivers better outcomes—all ready for immediate implementation in your jurisdiction.

Audience

Designed for:

  • Public servants and civic professionals engaging with residents
  • Elected officials and staff aiming to increase participation and trust
  • Civic tech developers and community designers
  • Democracy advocates interested in digital innovation

No technical background in AI required. Just a commitment to more inclusive and effective governance.

 Workshop Format

  • Each session combines real-world case studies from diverse jurisdictions, hands-on skill-building with AI tools and platforms, collaborative problem-solving on participants' actual engagement challenges, and development of ethical frameworks for responsible AI deployment in public settings.
  • Participants will build a practical toolkit they can immediately apply in their work, while connecting with a global network of practitioners committed to strengthening democratic engagement through thoughtful technology adoption.

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