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The Future in Context

By: e.Republic Editorial
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  • Summary

  • TFIC takes you deeper into the stories that are shaping our future. Seeing around corners or making sense of the collision of technology and society is hard. Context can help. Our writers and editors probe important questions about where we are going by first asking about where we have been and why. The show is produced through the joint editorial resources of Governing and Government Technology.
    e.Republic LLC, dba Government Technology and Governing. All rights reserved.
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Episodes
  • AI as a Stress Test for Government Data

    AI as a Stress Test for Government Data
    Apr 18 2024
    The rise of generative artificial intelligence is a stress test for data governance and management. And an opportunity for data stewards to shine. When Neil Cooke became the Chief Data Officer at the Texas Department of Information Resources in 2022, generative artificial intelligence (GenA) was not on the horizon. The role was focused on data governance and collaborating with state agencies in overseeing the shared open data portal. It is tempting — and a little clickbaity — to say GenAI changed all that. But that would be factually incorrect. In fact, all the behind-the-scenes work on data management and governance has gone a long way toward preparing the state to meet the challenges — and take advantage of the opportunities — of AI.Cooke talked about data disciplines as a precursor to the effective use of artificial intelligence on our occasional series, Government A to Z, with TFIC co-host and Government Technology Staff Writer Ashley Silver along with two colleagues from Governing — Staff Writer Zina Hutton and Digital Editor Zoe Manzanetti. Show NotesHere are the top 3 takeaways from this episode: An Evolving Strategic Role: Chief Data Officers (CDOs) and data management officers play pivotal roles in navigating government challenges by overseeing data governance practices and promoting collaboration across agencies.Their responsibilities include breaking down data silos, ensuring data quality, and fostering a culture where data is valued and managed effectively. AI’s Transformative Potential: Artificial Intelligence (AI) emerges as a transformative tool in addressing governmental challenges, offering opportunities for automation, enhanced decision-making, and predictive analytics.However, the effectiveness of AI models heavily relies on the quality and security of the data they’re trained on, emphasizing the importance of robust data governance frameworks. Collaborative Approach: Collaboration between government entities, AI advisory councils, and technology experts is essential for responsible AI development and effective data governance.Initiatives such as data literacy programs and AI user groups facilitate knowledge sharing and best practices dissemination, fostering a collaborative environment for addressing governmental challenges. Related Links to stories related to this episode: Texas DIR Appoints Neil Cooke to Lead State Data Initiatives Agency's New State Chief Data Officer to Oversee Open-Data Portal Our editors used ChatGPT 4.0 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes. The main image for this story was created using DALL-E 3. Subscribe to The Future In Context for free on YouTube or the podcast app of your choice — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy and Audible.
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    25 mins
  • Resisting the Campaign for Safer Streets

    Resisting the Campaign for Safer Streets
    Apr 11 2024
    Reducing traffic deaths is a compelling proposition, but it gets complicated when trying to make it so. Reduced enforcement of traffic laws, increased rates of driver impairment, cellphone distractions and street designs that prioritize speed have helped reverse long-standing traffic safety gains in American cities.Programs like Vision Zero, aimed at eliminating traffic deaths, face challenges in implementation and efficacy, though success stories like Hoboken, N.J., offer hope. Federal initiatives such as Safe Streets and Roads for All provide substantial funding opportunities for cities to enhance street safety. However, administrative barriers may hinder smaller municipalities from accessing these resources.In TFIC’s occasional series, Your Mileage May Vary, and Senior Writer Jared Brey (Governing) and Senior Writer Skip Descant (Government Technology*) explore how controversies around street design interventions — so-called traffic calming — like bike lanes and curb extensions highlight the challenges of balancing various transportation needs and navigating public perceptions. Technology plays a crucial role in supporting infrastructure improvements, from speed monitoring to data-driven safety assessments. In the aftermath of the Baltimore bridge collapse, the daunting task of rebuilding underscores the importance of robust infrastructure planning and response mechanisms. SHOW NOTES Here are the top 5 takeaways from this episode: Traffic Safety Trends: Despite long-term declines in traffic fatalities, American cities have experienced a concerning uptick in traffic-related deaths and collisions, particularly during the pandemic, attributed to factors like reduced enforcement and increased impairment.Challenges of Vision Zero: While programs like Vision Zero aim to eliminate traffic deaths, implementation faces hurdles, with mixed success in cities like San Francisco. Strategies include redesigning streets for safety and setting ambitious goals, but efficacy varies across contexts.Federal Funding Opportunities: Federal initiatives such as Safe Streets and Roads for All offer substantial funding to enhance street safety, but smaller municipalities may face administrative challenges in accessing these resources, highlighting the need for capacity-building support.Controversies in Street Design: Controversies around street interventions like bike lanes and curb extensions underscore the challenges of balancing diverse transportation needs and navigating public perceptions, with technology playing a crucial role in supporting infrastructure improvements.Lessons from Infrastructure Failures: Infrastructure failures like the Baltimore bridge collapse highlight the importance of robust planning and response mechanisms, underscoring the daunting task of rebuilding and its potential impacts on regional and global trade. Related Links to stories referenced in the episode: How Hoboken Has Gone Years Without a Traffic Death Pedestrian Fatalities Reach Record High Our editors used ChatGPT 4.0 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes. The main image for this story was created using DALL-E 3. Subscribe for free on YouTube or the podcast app of your choice — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy and Audible.
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    28 mins
  • Is AI Ready to Replace Human Policy Advisers?

    Is AI Ready to Replace Human Policy Advisers?
    Apr 4 2024
    A 50-state investigation in data journalism suggests the answer is, not yet. The AI agent was insightful on a number of fronts; but, while not descending into hallucinations, its mind strayed from instructions as the experiment went on. Government Technology Data Reporter Nikki Davidson tasked Google’s AI tool Gemini (formerly Bard) to explore AI’s perspective on government technology use. Davidson’s innovative approach involved treating AI as a collaborative partner to generate insights on AI’s potential applications in government. Despite Gemini’s occasional inaccuracies and deviations from instructions, Davidson’s project yielded diverse and unexpected use cases across different areas, such as mental health, opioid use and climate change.Gemini’s recommendations extended to climate challenges and infrastructure needs, reflecting a surprisingly deep understanding of regional concerns. Gemini itself suggested it would be five to 10 years before AI is fully integrated in government operations, emphasizing that it is inevitable for government. Believing turnabout is fair play, Davidson asked Gemini for feedback on her work. It gave the article a strong numerical grade on a scale of 1 to 10 but did have suggestions on how to make it better. Human reviewers, including Benjamin Palacio, a senior IT analyst with Placer County, Calif., highlighted both the promise and challenges of AI applications, particularly in sensitive areas like mental health support. Davidson views AI as a valuable tool but underscores the necessity of human oversight and awareness of its limitations. SHOW NOTES Takeaways: AI can be used as a tool to explore the best uses of technology in government.Surprising use cases of AI in government include mental health and opioid abuse awareness.Ethical concerns arise when AI suggests analyzing sensitive data like social media and medical records.Human intervention is necessary to ensure the accuracy of AI. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and Setting Up the Story 00:39 Using AI to Explore Government Use Cases 04:10 The Maps and the Impact of the Story 05:12 Surprising Use Cases of AI in Government 07:18 Ethical Concerns and Gray Areas 09:05 AI’s Role in Infrastructure and Climate 10:26 Realistic Timelines for AI Implementation 11:22 The Relationship With AI and Hallucinations 13:17 AI’s Opinion on the Worth and Accuracy of the Work 14:19 Responses from Human Reviewers 15:30 AI as a Tool With Limitations 16:23 Conclusion and Future Possibilities Related Links to items referenced in the episode: How Does AI Predict Governments Will Use AI? It Depends Where You LiveCenter for Public Sector AI, a division of e.Republic, the parent company of Government Technology and Governing. Our editors used ChatGPT 4.0 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes. The main image for this story was created using DALL-E 3. Listen to this episode on the player below or subscribe for free on YouTube or the podcast app of your choice — Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy and Audible.[Placeholder for audio player embed]
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    19 mins
World Political Science
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