AI, Technology & Governance
AI, Technology & Governance
📋 Research Overview
This theme consolidates CTDS's foundational and contemporary work at the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital governance, and civic technology. Research spans responsible AI adoption in local government, algorithmic accountability, facial recognition policy, chatbot and conversational AI in public services, smart city governance, IoT policy, digital equity and digital inclusion, broadband access and community capacity, and the civic implications of platform economies. Work in this area bridges computational social science, public administration, and technology policy, with a comparative lens that includes the United States, Australia, South Korea, and Europe.
💰 External Funding
Responsible Urban Innovation with Local Government Artificial Intelligence (2022-2025)
Chief investigators Tan Yigitcanlar and Kevin DeSouza (Queensland University of Technology). Karen Mossberger and Pauline Hope Cheong (ASU) served as partner investigators alongside Juan Corchado Rodriguez, Rashid Mehmood, and Rita Yi Man Li. The project produced multi-country evidence on public perceptions of responsible AI in local government, chatbot adoption frameworks, and the intersection of AI and urban sustainability, with findings published in Government Information Quarterly and Journal of Urban Technology.
Broadband Community Capacity Program Award #1338471 - Iowa-ASU Broadband Data Portal
Karen Mossberger (ASU) and Caroline Tolbert (University of Iowa). Produced a longitudinal dataset on internet use across U.S. states, counties, metros, and cities (1997-2018), hosted on Harvard Dataverse. Supported foundational research on digital inequality, broadband adoption, and community economic outcomes.
Smart Communities and Broadband Evaluation - City of Chicago
Karen Mossberger (PI) in collaboration with Caroline Tolbert (University of Iowa). Evaluation of Chicago's Smart Communities Program across 9 neighborhoods and citywide surveys on technology use (2008, 2011, 2013). Produced formative and outcome evaluations and contributed to the evidence base on place-based digital inclusion strategies, community broadband capacity, and technology adoption among underserved populations.
Watts Research Seed Funding Program - Inclusive Innovation in IoT and Big Data
Pauline Hope Cheong (PI) and Karen Mossberger (co-PI). Investigated user perspectives, experiences, and outcomes associated with artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, including national survey analysis and qualitative interviews on algorithmic awareness and IoT governance.
📄 Featured Publications
🗂 Additional Projects & Partnerships
Broadband Data Portal - Iowa-ASU Longitudinal Dataset
A longitudinal open-access dataset tracking internet use and broadband adoption across U.S. states, counties, metros, and cities (1997-2018). Available on Harvard Dataverse. Produced through NSF Award #1338471 and widely used in academic research on digital equity and the economic consequences of connectivity gaps. The portal's underlying research continues to inform broadband policy at the state and federal level.
Digital Entrepreneurship in Communities of Color - Kauffman Foundation Policy Brief
Research and policy brief examining how communities of color participate in the digital economy, with findings on digital entrepreneurship density, broadband access as an enabler of small business formation, and inclusive growth strategies for local governments and nonprofits.
Connecting Cuyahoga County - Digital Inclusion Impact Assessmen
In collaboration with Connected Insights and Cuyahoga County, Karen Mossberger and Shawn Novak produced a report on the returns to digital inclusion investment for county administration and residents, with findings on improved service delivery, economic opportunity, and civic participation.
Government as a Platform & Civic Technology Participation
Comparative research on participatory e-government platforms, open data governance, and civic technology adoption in U.S. cities and internationally, including work with the Russian Federation's intergovernmental services platform and Indian Country digital governance.