Table of contents

Foreword 3

Acknowledgements 4

Executive summary 7

1 Introduction: Citizen participation in the age of artificial intelligence 10

  Citizen participation for more effective policies and greater public trust 11

  Digital technologies for citizen participation 12

  The potential of AI tools for participation 13

  References 16

  Notes 17

2 Opportunities for AI tools to improve and enhance citizen participation in policymaking 18

  Challenges to achieving effective citizen participation 19

  Setting the scope: Opportunities of AI to address citizen participation challenges 21

  A typology of AI tools to improve and enhance citizen participation 21

  Emerging trends 33

  References 40

  Notes 51

3 Mapping the risks and challenges of using AI for citizen participation 52

  Risks and challenges of using AI for citizen participation 53

  Ethical risks 54

  Operational risks 55

  Exclusion risks 56

  Public resistance risks 56

  Risks of inaction 57

  Implementation challenges 57

  References 59

4 What can governments do? The road to fit-for-purpose AI tools for citizen participation 63

  Addressing risks and challenges to take advantage of AI opportunities for citizen participation 64

  Citizens as partners in shaping the development, use and regulation of AI-systems 68

  References 71

  Notes 73

5 Conclusions 74

  Governments are using AI tools to improve citizen participation processes 74

  Governments can act to steer the trustworthy adoption of AI while continuing to improve citizen participation 74