Bowling Green’s Unique AI-Powered Community Engagement
Earlier this year, Warren County in Kentucky embraced a groundbreaking approach to gather community feedback, involving nearly 8,000 residents through innovative use of artificial intelligence.
As Bowling Green, the county’s largest city, anticipates a population surge by 2050, local leaders recognized the need to incorporate citizen voices in shaping future policies. Traditionally, community meetings often attract a limited audience, skewed towards those with strong opinions, which can lead to a fragmented view of public sentiment.
To tackle this challenge, officials turned to an online survey strategy, harnessing AI to process vast amounts of data effectively. Over a month-long period, around 10% of Bowling Green’s residents participated, sharing their thoughts on improvements they wish to see in their community.
Judge Doug Gorman highlighted the success of this initiative, stating, “If I have a town hall meeting on these topics, 23 people show up. What we just conducted was the largest town hall in America.”
The Experiment in Detail
In February, a local strategy firm created a dedicated website allowing residents to submit anonymous suggestions. The platform used Pol.is, an open-source tool popular for civic polling, which has seen success in places like Taiwan.
Participants were asked what changes they envisioned for the next 25 years, with the option to comment and vote on others’ ideas. Over 33 days, nearly 8,000 residents contributed more than a million responses, presenting around 4,000 unique suggestions, ranging from new museums to enhanced walking paths and green spaces.
AI played a vital role in analyzing this extensive data. Using an AI tool named Sensemaker, the collected opinions were categorized and examined, revealing shared priorities. The tool identified over 2,370 ideas that enjoyed consensus from at least 80% of participants, such as increasing healthcare services locally and repurposing unused retail spaces.
This approach proved effective in reaching demographics typically disengaged from local governance, particularly immigrants and individuals constrained by work commitments. The survey’s multi-language feature and automatic translation made it accessible to more residents, including those like Daniel Tarnagda, a local non-profit leader who advocates for under-18 immigrants.
Tarnagda expressed, “I knew that people want to be part of something. But if you don’t ask, you don’t know.”
Now, volunteers are working on transforming the report’s findings into solid policy recommendations for county leaders by year-end. AI not only streamlined this process but also saved the county an estimated 28 workforce days.
Finding Common Ground
This AI-assisted engagement provided insights that transcended political divides. Jigsaw, the development team behind the AI tools, found that when contributions were anonymous, residents discovered more commonalities in their opinions.
CEO Yasmin Green noted, “When most of us don’t participate, the loudest voices often dominate the conversation. AI can help us find ways to keep our discussions going, allowing for broader participation.”
This initiative’s success has prompted a partnership between Jigsaw and the Napolitan Institute to delve deeper into how Americans across various districts perceive the nation’s ideals and future, moving beyond just policy-making.
Balancing Innovation with Caution
Despite the positive aspects of using AI in community engagement, there are inherent concerns regarding privacy and data security. Although Bowling Green’s survey ensured no personal information was collected, future applications may not have the same safeguards. There’s also the risk of biases from those who create the algorithms potentially influencing outcomes.
However, if handled carefully, AI could revolutionize how communities connect and collaborate, potentially bridging divides and facilitating real change, much like its impact in Bowling Green.
