POPVOX Foundation Report Reveals How AI Can Transform Congressional Operations
Read the report at popvox.org/ai-vol1
A new report published today by the civic tech nonprofit POPVOX Foundation provides guidance to the US Congress and legislatures around the world on adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to modernize their internal operations and address the "pacing problem," a term coined to describe the lag between technological advancements and the development of laws and regulations governing them. The report is especially timely as the Committee on House Administration will delve into how the Legislative branch is using AI in a full committee hearing on Tuesday, January 30.
“Representative Bodies in the AI Era: Insights for Legislatures,” the first of a multi-volume series authored by POPVOX Foundation Cofounder and Executive Director Marci Harris and Director of Government Innovation Aubrey Wilson, is a definitive reference text on how legislatures can close that strategic gap and responsibly adopt AI technologies in their workflows. Written primarily for legislators and their staff, the in-depth report is an accessible explainer with international use-case scenarios and recommendations to inform responsible AI deployment, with a primary focus on the US Congress.
“At a time of rapid technological change, it is essential that our democratic institutions enable responsible research and experimentation. Our elected representatives and their staff and support agencies must understand these technologies and prepare for how they will impact our institutions — or risk being overrun or out-maneuvered by outsiders deploying AI to influence them,” said Marci Harris, POPVOX Foundation’s cofounder and executive director. “The good news is that legislatures are smartly taking the leap, with both chambers of the US Congress demonstrating a proactive approach to responsibly introduce GenAI into the legislative workflow.”
Volume I of “Representative Bodies in the AI Era: Insights for Legislatures” examines key AI capabilities like machine learning and natural language processing along with current and potential use cases as an illustrative roadmap for legislatures considering their own future AI-adaptation strategy. The analysis highlights legislative operational benefits like accelerated access to transcripts, real-time translation services, advanced document resource management, and elevated constituent interactions. It also covers limitations around bias, factual accuracy, and model generalizability, and encourages AI strategies to make legislative processes more responsive, accessible, and transparent to the public.
“Legislative staff are massively under-resourced, and the potential for generative AI to maximize their capacity is game-changing. These new technologies can summarize large documents, provide first drafts of letters, and serve as an additional research assistant to overwhelmed staff who can then spend more of their time on tasks that only they can do — like meeting face-to-face with constituents,” said Aubrey Wilson, director of government innovation at POPVOX Foundation. “Used wisely, GenAI can help Congress and legislatures around the world operate more efficiently, better serve constituents, craft more effective policy solutions, and ensure their ongoing relevance in the years ahead.”
POPVOX Foundation advises legislatures to take a phased approach toward AI adoption, including immediate small-scale experimentation, investment in technical infrastructure to seamlessly embed AI in routine processes, and a long-term phase that can include the development of in-house models trained on parliamentary data, AI assistants capable of drafting legislation, and oversight mechanisms to maintain human accountability amidst advancing AI capabilities.
The US Congress is already ahead of the curve taking such steps. The report details several recent developments in both chambers that point to a preparedness that is in stark contrast to how Congress was caught flat-footed during the rise of social media and data mining. Examples include:
the creation of the House Digital Services team
the House’s Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) voluntary AI working group empowering Congressional staff to safely explore new tools
CAO’s collection of AI best practices
the Committee on House Administration’s series of “flash reports” on how support agencies and House internal operational offices can potentially use AI
the creation by Senate Sergeant at Arms of a voluntary Senate AI working group
Senate guidance issued in December 2023 to encourage and explore internal use of GenAI and the sharing of best practices
(More information on the current use of AI by the House and Senate can be found here.)
Legislatures around the globe have been experimenting with automated technologies for several years. The Estonian Parliament has incorporated AI into its operations, using a system named HANS, based on large language models, to transcribe all parliamentary meetings through automated speech recognition. The Brazilian legislature is piloting AI chatbots to improve public access to information on legislators, bills, and budget data. A September 2023 Inter-Parliamentary Union convening of members from 70 legislatures resulted in a commitment for global cooperation to ensure legislative use of AI adheres to democratic values.
According to POPVOX Foundation, the ultimate goal of AI adoption in legislatures should be to improve lawmaking, public service, and democratic engagement. It advises legislatures to begin the AI transition as soon as possible by:
Initiating the integration of AI technologies as soon as possible, focusing initially on low-risk areas to build a foundational understanding and capacity for these tools
Prioritizing the mapping, cleaning, and preparing of data for AI applications
Issuing agile and transparent official AI guidelines for intelligent experimentation and innovation, taking into account data privacy, accountability, and training
Promoting the responsible experimentation of AI applications in real-world scenarios and preventing the establishment of overly restrictive policies that could stifle innovation and learning
Fostering inclusive dialogue with forums and working groups involving a wide range of stakeholders from different backgrounds and areas of expertise
Adopting a phased integration strategy with short-term, small-scale pilots, medium-term phases to expand AI use into more significant areas of legislative work, and long-term phases that might involve the integration of AI into core legislative processes, such as policy analysis and constituent engagement
Investing in upskilling to leverage AI effectively, instill strong ethics and best practices, and help staff to adapt to new workflows and processes
Customizing AI systems to ensure they meet the high standards required for legislative work while minimizing risks
Ensuring human oversight through transparent, well documented review processes and accountability structures
Aligning AI with public service goals to enhance the democratic process, providing constituents with better access to information, more efficient services, and greater opportunities for engagement
Engaging in global collaboration so legislatures can learn valuable lessons and avoid common pitfalls
“Generative AI is still very early and that means that Congress and legislatures around the world can take steps today that will profoundly influence their capability to represent citizens effectively in the coming decades. From our ongoing conversations with Congressional and parliamentary staff worldwide, I am optimistic about that future, and hope the recent milestones covered in this report inspire more elected officials to take action now,” said Harris.
The report is part of POPVOX Foundation’s international efforts to help parliaments use modern techniques and technologies to be more effective, efficient, and transparent. The report is part of POPVOX Foundation’s international efforts to help parliaments use modern techniques and technologies to be more effective, efficient, and transparent. The nonprofit also hosts the International Legislative Modernization Working Group as part of its Comparative Legislative Strengthening Project.
POPVOX Foundation anticipates releasing the second volume of “Representative Bodies in the AI Era: Insights for Legislatures” later in 2024.
POPVOX Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to inform and empower people and make government work better for everyone. This includes reimagining the concept of civic infrastructure, and providing new ways for government to share information and engage the public, with an emphasis on diverse participation and rebuilding public trust.
POPVOX Foundation works with governments to address the challenges presented by the constantly evolving landscape of technology and society, known as "pacing problems." Through collaborations with researchers, government officials, and other stakeholders, the foundation aims to advance innovative solutions that facilitate effective oversight, transparency, accountability, and accessibility, ensuring efficient and effective governance.
