Bowling Green, Kentucky, a rapidly growing city of 75,000, recently concluded an experiment in integrating Artificial Intelligence with democratic decision-making to inform its long-term urban planning. County leader Doug Gorman initiated the project after recognizing the need for a strategic vision as the city prepared for substantial population growth. Collaborating with consultant Sam Ford and utilizing the Pol.is platform, a machine learning-powered tool, they set out to collect public input for a 25-year city plan, assembling volunteers with expertise in economic development, healthcare, infrastructure, and other key areas.
Launching the online platform in February, organizers invited residents to anonymously submit concise ideas—each limited to under 140 characters—about the city’s future, and to vote on others’ suggestions. The portal facilitated participation in multiple languages and ensured local authenticity through moderation. Over one month, nearly 8,000 residents engaged with the project, with 2,000 submitting original proposals. Google Jigsaw’s Artificial Intelligence then analyzed the data, highlighting areas of widespread agreement and divisiveness. The community´s top priorities included expanding local healthcare options, attracting more businesses to underserved areas, and preserving historic sites, while more contentious topics ranged from marijuana legalization to anti-discrimination policies and private education.
The process was closely monitored by the organizing team, who applied moderation policies and filtered out redundant or off-topic submissions, publishing about half of all ideas. Experts in democratic governance remarked on the impressive engagement rate—about 10% of the city’s population participated—while also cautioning that self-selection may limit representativeness. Political scientists pointed out the need for more deliberative approaches and noted the challenge of translating bite-sized suggestions into actionable policies. Ultimately, Bowling Green’s Artificial Intelligence-powered experiment is seen as a promising step toward more participatory governance, but the real measure of success will come when city leaders act on the public input and openly communicate their decisions to foster continued civic trust and engagement. Recommendations based on the initiative will be presented to county leadership later this year.
