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


White neoclassical building with cupola and City Hall lettering on front.

labalajadia / Adobe Stock

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

Young Professional

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban and Environmental Planner

Get top-rated, practical training for planners

"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

September 23, 2026 - Zachary Whalen

Passengers board an Amtrak train under a cloudy sky.

Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement

The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.

September 18, 2026 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22, 2026 - Washington State Standard

Four cars of the LAX SkyLink. They are white, and there is no clear front or back. They have black windows.

LAX SkyLink opening delayed again, contractor won’t commit to new deadline

The project was supposed to open its doors to the public in 2023.

45 minutes ago - LA Times

A Caltrain train picks up a large crowd of people at a station.

Caltrain may slash over one-third of its stations

If Bay Area voters reject two transit tax measures, Caltrain, BART and AC Transit will see steep service cuts.

1 hour ago - Mercury News

An aerial view of Interstate 77 crossing a body of water.

A 'dangerous' precedent: North Carolina successfully pressures communities into voting for toll roads

Two mayors resigned from the Charlotte Regional Transportation Planning Organization after it voted in favor of the toll roads.

2 hours ago - Spectrum Local News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design