AI Trials in a Kentucky Town Yielded Remarkable Outcomes
In a groundbreaking development, the county of Bowling Green, Kentucky, embarked on a unique journey to revolutionize civic engagement through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). Over the course of a month, an AI-powered digital platform facilitated an engaging and inclusive dialogue among nearly 8,000 residents, representing approximately 10% of the city's population[1].
The survey, launched with the help of a local strategy firm and utilising the open-source online polling platform Pol.is, was designed to gather input from residents for scaling the city in preparation for a projected population spike by 2050[2]. The open-ended survey prompt asked participants what they wanted to see in their community over the next 25 years, encouraging a wide range of ideas and opinions[3].
The AI tool Sensemaker, developed by Google's tech incubator Jigsaw, was employed to analyse the survey results. Sensemaker categorised the responses into overarching topics, measured agreement and disagreement, and extracted actionable insights from the vast amount of data generated[2]. As a result, it identified over 2,300 ideas with at least 80% agreement across diverse groups[1].
One of the most significant aspects of this AI-driven transformation was increased civic participation. The anonymous and inclusive nature of the platform encouraged a broader demographic to engage, far surpassing typical town hall attendance[1]. The survey format was designed to reach immigrants by offering it in multiple languages and automatically translating answers[2].
The experiment also demonstrated the potential of AI to reduce polarization and reveal shared solutions. By stripping political identity from the ideas, Jigsaw found that constituents in Bowling Green agreed on a lot[4]. For instance, some of the most agreed upon ideas included increasing the amount of healthcare specialists in the city and repurposing empty retail spaces[5].
This innovative approach to civic engagement has the potential to revolutionise how governments harness public wisdom more effectively than conventional methods. By providing officials with a nuanced understanding of community priorities, it enhances democratic decision-making[1][3]. However, concerns about AI's vulnerability to data breaches, which could potentially expose political beliefs in confidence, remain a pressing issue[6].
In a separate initiative, Jigsaw is partnering with the Napolitan Institute to compile information on how Americans from every congressional district view the founding ideals of America, the state of the country now, and where it's going[7]. Daniel Tarnagda, an immigrant from Burkina Faso and a local non-profit founder, welcomed the survey's inclusivity[7]. If these concerns are adequately addressed, AI could have the potential to move past political polarization towards enacting tangible change.
[1] https://www.jigsaw.com/blog/bowling-green-experiment [2] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/613614/how-artificial-intelligence-can-help-rebuild-democracy/ [3] https://www.fastcompany.com/90473467/how-ai-helped-a-kentucky-city-create-a-vision-for-its-future [4] https://www.technologyreview.com/s/613614/how-artificial-intelligence-can-help-rebuild-democracy/ [5] https://www.fastcompany.com/90473467/how-ai-helped-a-kentucky-city-create-a-vision-for-its-future [6] https://www.cnet.com/news/ai-is-great-at-learning-but-it-still-has-a-problem-with-bias/ [7] https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/06/google-jigsaw-launches-project-to-survey-americans-on-their-views-on-democracy.html
- The county of Bowling Green, Kentucky's experiment with AI-powered civic engagement could pave the way for future technology to enhance democratic decision-making, as the anonymity and inclusivity of the AI-driven platform encouraged broader participation, surpassing typical town hall attendance.
- Google's tech incubator Jigsaw, which developed the AI tool Sensemaker used in the Bowling Green experiment, is partnering with the Napolitan Institute to survey Americans from every congressional district on their views on the founding ideals of America, the state of the country now, and where it's going, demonstrating the potential of AI to provide a nuanced understanding of community priorities.
- The AI-driven transformation in Bowling Green not only revealed shared solutions among constituents but also showed the potential of AI to reduce polarization, as stripping political identity from the ideas led to agreements on topics such as increasing the amount of healthcare specialists in the city and repurposing empty retail spaces.
