Strategic Considerations for AI Integration
Part I examined different types of automated technologies, early implementations of AI in legislative workflows, and initial responses over the past year to the proliferation of chat-based GenAI. Part II addresses how legislatures should be thinking about long-term investments and resource planning to incorporate AI into legislative workflows.
The ultimate goal of AI adoption in legislatures should be to help these institutions and those who serve within them do a better job for their constituents. This can take many forms — from better tools for managing large quantities of information that result in better legislating to improving the constituent engagement experience, or simply increasing the institutions’ day-to-day operational efficiency.
In 2022, researchers Fotios Fitsilis and Jörn van Lucke invited professional staff in the Greek and Argentine parliaments to help brainstorm parliamentary uses for AI, which ultimately resulted in a list of 210 use cases across various categories ranging from the legislative process to building security:¹
Legislation
Automated drafting of laws
Impact analysis
Risk management
Process automation
Digital twins of laws
Parliamentary Control
Media monitoring
Social media analysis
Auditing of laws and contracts
Petitions analysis
Administration
Visitor management
Energy management
Cybersecurity and authentication
Recruitment and Human Resources
Assistance for MPs
Speech transcription and translation
Notification and workflow management
Argument analysis and debate aids
Voting analysis
Outreach
Citizen inquiries and ticketing
Political education apps and games
Visualization of debates and arguments
Voting advice applications
Infrastructure
Building and facility management
Accessibility features
The diverse potential applications of AI in legislatures highlight the technology's potential to revolutionize the way these institutions function. As legislatures continue to explore and adopt AI technologies, the focus should remain on leveraging these tools to better serve constituents and strengthen the legislative process. By taking a phased approach, investing in capacity building, ensuring human oversight, and participating in collaborative efforts, legislative bodies can integrate AI in ways that uphold transparency while achieving operational enhancements. Rather than replace human judgment, thoughtfully implemented AI can equip parliaments to meet rising constituent expectations in an increasingly digital era.
¹ Fotios Fitsilis and Jörn van Lucke, “Using Artificial Intelligence in Parliament - The Hellenic Case,” Electronic Government (2023)
