Edge of Government

Are we taking enough care of our caretakers? In many parts of the world, mostly women are working as full-time unpaid caregivers to their kids, elders or other struggling family members. The care they provide is not recognized as productive and valuable work, leaving them impoverished and unable to earn a living, pursue personal goals, or simply get a few hours off. And yet, research shows, for example, that a grandmother’s death can reduce by 30% the chance that her daughter enters the labour force, and reduce her earnings by 50%. So what opportunities could we create if our cities were redesigned our caregiving?

In the near future, it might very well be possible to type out an email with your thoughts or gain superhuman memory. These innovations all sound very exciting, but since our brain is such an important part of who we are, the development of neurotechnology such as brain implants creates a lot of new questions and moral dillemas. What do these developments mean for your brain integrity and personal identity? Should anyone be in a position to decide who gets brain enhancements, and who doesn't? And how do we deal with the potential danger of manipulation (e.g. behavioural modifications)?

By using OpenFisca, governments from several countries such as France and New Zealand, have published relevant laws for citizens as machine-readable code. A freely accessible application uses this code to run tailor-made simulations that help citizens to assess their entitlement to social benefits. OpenFisca also enables different government departments and institutions to collaborate more efficiently and gives them new insights into the estimated impact of law reforms. In France, over 2,300 young people use this platform daily.

Generative AI is the talk of town and by now you probably heard of ChatGPT. More often than not, it's talked about in fear: what if it will end up taking our jobs? But what if governments turned the tables, and used these tools to enhance rather than replace their engagement with citizens? For citizens, taking part in consultations with government officials can be challenging. It is not always easy to translate a wish or a mental image into words. This can create barriers to participation and misunderstandings.

To open up new economic opportunities for its citizens, regardless of their economic status, the Government of Serbia installed a next-gen supercomputer and opened it up to students, scientists and start-ups for the development and application of artificial intelligence, free of charge. The supercomputer allowed over 200 Serbian experts to create new products, services and experiments, without the worry of securing infrastructure. Since 2016, the Serbian ICT-sector has seen its number of employees increase by more than 50%, making it the country's largest net export branch.

The Department of Buildings in Washington D.C. was experiencing lengthy turnaround times for construction inspections, which interrupted constructions and cost developers a lot of money. Hiring new qualified inspectors was a slow process that only added to their overheads. To diminish these expensive delays, the government created an online platform called Tertius that facilitates the onboarding of third party independent inspectors in the local community.