The Future Won’t Slow Down, But Congress Can Get Ready
POPVOX Foundation’s “Future-Proofing Congress” is a newsletter created for the busy Congressional staffer to keep you updated (and inspired!) about operational improvements and new resources on and off the Hill. Learn more and subscribe here.
A whirlwind week of new AI breakthroughs, autonomous tech shifts, and a major White House initiative
Dear friends,
Big thanks to Danielle and the team for letting me jump in with a quick unscheduled “Future-Proofing Congress” update and thanks to YOU.
I’m writing from somewhere over the Pacific, on my way to Kuala Lumpur for the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s conference on AI and parliaments. I will spend Thanksgiving with hundreds of Members of Parliament from around the world to discuss future scenarios for the coming decades and how decisions made today will set legislatures on their trajectory for years to come.
We started this newsletter as a place to share developments in and outside Congress to help busy staff keep up with how quickly the world is changing. It’s part of our work on the “pacing problem,” the gap between the speed of technological change and government’s ability to understand and respond to it. We don’t endorse products or take positions on policy. We just believe Congress needs to understand emerging technology to make informed decisions for constituents.
This week tested even our ability to keep pace.
Three Frontier AI Model Updates in 12 Days
OpenAI released its GPT-5.1 on November 12, that changed the way the model “thinks” so it’s faster on simple questions, more deliberate on hard ones.
Google released Gemini 3 on November 18, absolutely blowing away expectations. Their free NotebookLM tool can now generate podcasts, videos, slide decks, and flowcharts just from uploading a document (Yes, including bill text!) and you SO should try it. They also launched Antigravity, an agentic platform I’ve been experimenting with. It’s my first experience having an AI agent running for hours in the background, checking in with me periodically to ask clarifying questions. It’s a genuinely different experience: less like using a tool, more like delegating to a very fast research assistant. For me, it was an “aha” moment like the first time I used ChatGPT, understanding that these tools are going to change so much about the way we work.
Anthropic followed with Claude Opus 4.5 on November 24, which had even an Anthropic engineer saying “maybe as soon as the first half of next year: software engineering is done.” It achieved the first-ever 80%+ score on a leading software engineering benchmark.
For anyone in the weeds using these tools for coding or research, the velocity increase is very apparent. Sometimes it takes a while for that message to reach Congress. But that lag isn’t healthy in a democracy. We need a Congress that can keep pace and understand what’s coming. That’s why I hope you will take some time over Thanksgiving to experiment!
The Physical World is Changing Too
I split time between the Bay Area and Tennessee (with lots of DC time in between) and I see VERY different perceptions about how quickly tech change is coming, from one place to the next. And I’m starting to think self-driving cars have something to do with that. There’s a fear/shock-to-normal transition that happens pretty quickly for many after experiencing ubiquitous autonomous vehicles (AVs).
In San Francisco, self-driving cars are everywhere. Waymos roam the streets, Amazon’s Zoox launched a free pilot program last week. Almost anyone in the city (and the data!) will tell you they’re safer and more polite than human drivers, though Waymo’s CEO warns that some day there will be a fatal accident involving one of their cars. (It just hasn’t happened yet, even after 250,000 paid rides.) On November 12, Waymo expanded from San Francisco city streets to Bay Area freeways: Highway 101 and I-280, all the way from San Francisco to San Jose. That already feels like a game-changer, but I really get excited thinking about kicking back and letting the robot take the wheel one of these days on I-40 between Memphis and Nashville!
And of course, discussions are ongoing for Waymo in DC in 2026. I remember the old days of DC taxis, when you paid based on zones, rarely knew if you were being taken the most efficient route, and couldn’t pay with a credit card. Ubers/Lyfts changed all that and I expect we’ll see a similar phenomenon with autonomous vehicles. (Though I’ll admit: one of the things I appreciate most about DC taxis and Uber/Lyfts is the drivers who listen to C-SPAN all day and can update you on votes during crazy days. That’s harder to replicate.)
A Major AI Announcement from the White House: The Genesis Mission
On Monday, the White House announced the “Genesis Mission,” a whole-of-government, public-private initiative to leverage federal resources for AI-driven scientific breakthroughs. It’s been compared to the Manhattan Project and Apollo Program in scope and ambition (and the website is not your average gov site).
The initiative connects the Department of Energy’s 17 national laboratories and their 40,000+ scientists with AI computing resources and massive federal datasets. Priority areas include advanced manufacturing, nuclear energy, quantum computing, and semiconductors. Private partners include OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and others.
On first read, it seems to answer many calls for “Public AI” and sets in motion a strategy for leveraging US public assets for broad benefit. But it’s early days and lots TBD.
Here’s what caught my attention: This was established entirely by executive order; no Congressional authorization. The EO provides no specific budget and notes implementation is “subject to the availability of appropriations.” Few Members have weighed in publicly (yet).
Congress wasn’t a major factor in launching this initiative. But that doesn’t mean Congress doesn’t have a role in its development and growth. What access and updates will Congress get? Can the data and insights be used for policy modeling and oversight? I look forward to finding out!
In Other “Future” News…
Microsoft announced a framework for managing AI agents “like employees” — with identity management, access controls, and monitoring. A sign that AI is moving from experimental to enterprise-production.
X rolled out “About this Account” which displays country of creation and location in account profiles…and turns out many with strong opinions about American politics don’t even go here!
Anchorage set to experiment with internet voting in local elections
A (Fun!) Thanksgiving Assignment
Take some time over the holiday to experiment! Many tools are new and not yet approved for House or Senate systems yet so use your personal devices. But just open up a free account and PLAY. It really is the only way to understand these new tools.
A few ideas to get you started:
Talk to an AI: Use voice mode on Google Gemini or ChatGPT. Just have a conversation. Ask it to explain something you’re working on, or quiz you on a topic. (Apparently some are using it to referee family disputes, but I do NOT recommend going there!)
Build something: Go to Replit and describe an app in plain English. Watch it build a working prototype in minutes.
Play with image creation: use NotebookLM to convert your LinkedIn page into an infographic.
Plan your meal: Ask Claude to create a dashboard and timeline for your Thanksgiving recipes, with prep schedules and grocery lists.
Catch up on culture: Ask Grok to summarize what people on X are saying about your favorite TV show.
Take a stroll down memory lane: Ask Gemini to restore an old family photo
Upload a document: Drop a bill, report, or article into NotebookLM and ask it questions. Have it generate a briefing podcast you can listen to while cooking.
Try the new models: Compare how ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini answer the same question. Notice the differences. Have them check each other’s work.
The goal isn’t to become an AI expert over the long weekend. It’s to build intuition. These tools are changing how the world works. The more you understand them firsthand, the better you can serve your Members and constituents.
And if you need a place to start: Check out the trainings, tips, and resources at popvox.org/artificial-intelligence. We’ve built them specifically for you!
Thank You
I know it’s been a year. I know the pace is relentless not just in technology, but in everything you’re navigating on the Hill.
As a former staffer, I remember what this week feels like. The scramble to wrap up before recess. The inbox that never quits. The sense that the world keeps moving even when you desperately need it to pause.
Thank you for what you do. Thank you for caring enough about this institution to do one of the hardest jobs in public service. Your work matters more than you probably hear.
I hope you get some real rest this weekend. Eat too much. Watch some football (or don’t). Spend time with people you love.
And maybe, somewhere between the turkey and the pie, play with an AI tool or two. The future is coming fast. Let’s make sure Congress is ready for it!
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at POPVOX Foundation,
Marci Harris
Cofounder & Executive Director
POPVOX Foundation
About POPVOX Foundation
POPVOX Foundation is a nonpartisan nonprofit that helps democratic institutions keep pace with a rapidly changing world. Through publications, events, prototypes and technical assistance, the organization helps public servants and elected officials better serve their constituents and make better policy.
