AI and the Future of Civics
When most headlines about artificial intelligence focus on the private sector, like the latest productivity app or business tool, it’s easy to miss the bigger picture. Generative AI (GenAI) could be one of the most transformative technologies not just for business, but for civic life itself.
And the need is urgent. Less than half of U.S. adults can name all three branches of government. A quarter cannot name even one. Roughly 26 percent cannot recall a single First Amendment freedom. That’s not just a trivia gap. It’s a civic literacy crisis, one that undermines trust and weakens the fabric of our democracy.
What AI Can Do for Public Life
A recent Boston Consulting Group report estimates GenAI could deliver $1.75 trillion in annual productivity value across national, state, and local governments by 2033. But the value goes beyond efficiency. Policy design, service delivery, and citizen engagement are all fundamentally knowledge work, and GenAI excels at scanning, summarizing, and synthesizing knowledge at scale.
Applied well, GenAI can speed disability service approvals, make public information accessible in multiple languages, strengthen regulatory oversight, and open new channels for inclusive policymaking. In short: it can shift energy away from repetitive tasks and toward meaningful public impact.
Lessons from Experiential Civics
The Edward M. Kennedy Institute’s Senate Immersion Module (SIM) offers a model for what’s possible. Students step into a full-scale replica of the U.S. Senate chamber, assume the role of lawmakers, and debate policy issues. Most recently, they did the exercise on artificial intelligence. Research shows that simulations like SIM don’t just teach civics more effectively. They increase long-term engagement, making students more likely to follow current events and stay involved as citizens.
Imagine GenAI extending that kind of experience beyond the classroom. With the right tools, civic simulations could be personalized for workplaces, community groups, or online platforms. AI could bring the “Senator for a Day” model to millions, helping people understand the tradeoffs of policy decisions and practice civil discourse in environments they already trust.
Designing for Trust and Common Ground
One of the most striking aspects of the SIM program is that its AI module starts from bipartisan consensus on national security. Students then grapple with real questions: How much should we regulate? Where should innovation be encouraged? AI tools can either deepen divides or help people explore shared priorities before engaging differences.
As governments, employers, and nonprofits explore GenAI, the same principle applies. We need tools that don’t just accelerate information, but also foster collaboration, empathy, and trust.
A Civic Lens
At IGC Institute, we focus on the intersection of people, workplaces, and civic life. What excites us about GenAI is not just its potential to improve government services, but its capacity to reimagine civic education and engagement everywhere.
For governments, the service is to citizens.
For companies, it’s to employees and customers.
For civic institutions, it’s to communities.
GenAI is not just about technology. It’s about the choices we make. At IGCI, we want to extend its benefits toward greater civic literacy, trust, and participation. The question isn’t whether AI will reshape public life. It’s how quickly and responsibly we mobilize to make sure the benefits flow where they’re needed most.