Listening to the Public with AI

Master AI tools for processing large volumes of public input while preserving nuance, sentiment, and minority perspectives. Explore the "What Could BG Be?" case study from Bowling Green, Kentucky, and learn how New Jersey's Supervising Forester Bill Zipse used custom ChatGPT tools to analyze thousands of resident comments on forest management decisions. Discover how Zipse automatically identified locations mentioned in feedback—even those with colloquial names—and categorized public input for Liberty State Park improvements. As Zipse notes, "We want to make sure that heartfelt comments, valid concerns, and good ideas can be routed to human beings making decisions in a way that those comments actually impact public decision-making." Learn practical techniques for turning overwhelming community feedback into actionable policy insights. Moderated by Danielle Allen, Director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation, Harvard Kennedy School.