Taking IT to the streets; Announcing the Community Engagement Handbook for AI
The Coalition's Community Engagement Committee announces a new handbook to support government agencies in conducting community engagement around AI.
By Meg Young, Elizabeth Buehler, Leila Doty, & Ryan Kurtzman
As agencies move to adopt AI, they face a new challenge: many IT processes were created to manage internal-facing enterprise systems like accounting, email, and network security, but the AI boom has increasingly propelled IT departments into resident-facing public service provision. Using AI for needs like risk assessment, benefits eligibility, fraud detection, and everyday needs like road safety invites a new opportunity (and responsibility) to engage residents on AI.
Historically, IT departments have had many reasons that they hesitate to seek public input on government technology: resource constraints, risk aversion, centralized decision-making, and uncertainty about whether residents have the requisite technical expertise. But just as more people across the country are stepping into conversations about data center construction, residents are also invested in how their local government is using AI.
At the Community Engagement Committee, we have been working to help public agencies bring conversations about AI to residents, learning about their hopes, questions, and concerns. All year, we have been programming speakers and collaborating on resources for agency capacity-building. We found that—especially when systems are high stakes—seeking resident input on AI adoption is essential. Residents live close to local needs and can help shape agency priorities. They can also comment on how well an AI system fits needs-on-the ground, and shape how goals are defined before an RFP. In some cases, residents even have ideas for new and better ways to use a given AI system. Community engagement also creates the opportunity to answer resident questions and build public trust.
The Community Engagement Handbook for AI compiles practical guidance, real-world lessons, and ready-to-use templates drawn from member agencies and partners across the Coalition. It walks practitioners through the why and the how of community engagement:
Making the case to leadership about why community engagement on AI topics is essential
Mapping community stakeholders
Running a 90-minute community engagement session
Closing the loop with community members after an engagement
Whether your agency is just getting started or looking to deepen an existing practice, this handbook offers tools you can adapt: a sample timeline, a RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) matrix, an MOU template, informed consent forms, outreach email templates, and more.
It reflects what we have learned together: that even modest efforts can meaningfully strengthen public trust and improve how AI is adopted in your community.
If your agency is beginning to grapple with how to bring residents into conversations about AI, the Community Engagement Handbook for AI is a great place to start. We recommend reading through the handbook to familiarize yourself with the topic, or diving directly into the appendix to access templates and tools.
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About the authors
Meg Young is the Senior Researcher and Project Director of AIMLab at Data & Society.
Elizabeth Buehler is the Director of Innovation & Project Management at Salt Lake City, UT.
Leila Doty is a Privacy & AI Analyst at the City of San José, CA.
Ryan Kurtzman is the Technology Partnerships Officer at the City of Long Beach, CA.
Note: The opinions expressed in these articles are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of the GovAI Coalition or the authors’ affiliated professional organization(s).
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This is the blog for the GovAI Coalition, a coalition of local, state, and federal agencies united in their mission to promote responsible and purposeful AI in the public sector.
