Using AI to Analyze Public Comments

A new tool is designed to help local governments organize and understand large volume of community input on projects.

1 minute read

April 4, 2024, 6:00 AM PDT

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


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A new digital tool claims to use artificial intelligence (AI) to help local governments make sense of public comments and community responses to planning and development proposals, reports Keely Quinlan in StateScoop.

The tool is aimed at organizing and parsing large volumes of data to cut down on workload for city administrators. “The new tool, called the AI Sensemaking Assistant, can scan, organize and report on thousands of resident responses to community planning proposals — such as transportation projects and how to use federal funding — quickly and accurately, according to a news release from CitizenLab.”

As Quinlan explains, “While primarily built to improve efficiency, the AI assistant also has controls that ensure every AI-generated statement is traceable to an original community input, according to the company.” The tool is one part of a broader movement toward incorporating machine learning and AI into government and policymaking.

Thursday, March 28, 2024 in StateScoop

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