Center for Technology in Government (CTG) researcher Seulki Lee-Geiller discusses her research that examines digital government, citizen participation and public trust, including how information format, digital literacy and interface design shape people’s experiences with government services. More recently, Dr. Lee-Geiller has focused on the democratic implications of AI, including its use in elections and policymaking and how AI can be governed in ways that promote transparency, accountability and other public values.

For the October 21, 2026, CTG Insights Exchange Series session UAlbany Department of Communication Associate Professor Archana Krishnan offers a critical examination of the AI paradox – the tension between protecting individual user data and the need for heterogenous training datasets to reduce bias and improve model robustness. Check registration details and event information in the linked announcement.

Seulki Lee-Geiller, a researcher at the Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany (CTG) and Mila Gascó-Hernández, CTG Research Director, are serving as guest editors for a special issue of Local Government Studies on “AI and Local Government Transformation: Institutional Capacity, Organizational Arrangements, and Democratic Practices.” 

The editors welcome diverse methodological approaches and research from different countries, municipalities, policy sectors, and stages of AI adoption. Abstracts of 500–1,000 words are due November 1, 2026, with full manuscripts due March 1, 2027.

The study, “Who Participates in AI Programs at Public Libraries? Exploring Demographic and Attitudinal Factors,” examines not only who participates in AI-related programs at public libraries, but how participants’ perceptions of the benefits and risks of AI relate to their likelihood of taking part in such programs. 

The paper, authored by CTG and Rockefeller College doctoral student Zong-Xian (Sam) Huang, director and professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia and professor and research director Mila Gascó-Hernandez, was published in the proceedings from the 18th International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 8.5 International Conference on Electronic Participation, or ePart 2026, held in Athens, Greece.

The CTG Insights Exchange Series explores emerging issues at the intersection of technology, governance, and public administration. In this first session, experts will discuss the growing capabilities of frontier AI models, including their ability to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities, and the resulting implications for cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, and public sector technology. Designed for both technical and non-technical audiences, this discussion will help participants better understand a rapidly evolving issue that is shaping the future of government and society. Check registration details and event information in the linked announcement.

CTG invites you to the CTG Insights Exchange Series. This new series examines emerging issues at the intersection of technology, governance, and public administration. It brings together the UAlbany community and practitioners across New York State to discuss timely topics such as AI governance, cybersecurity, open data, and digital government. Please review the 2026-27 lineup flyer using the link in the title and pay close attention to upcoming announcements, including details, registration instructions, and contact information.

CTG UAlbany Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia served as expert panelist on May 2026 Government Accountability Office report to U.S. Congress. Study focuses on uses and risks of artificial intelligence for small business contracting and innovation research.

CTG UAlbany Research Director and Rockefeller College Associate Professor Mila Gascó-Hernández and CTG UAlbany Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia sat down with UAlbany Director of Public Engagement Mary Hunt to discuss How Public Libraries Are Leveling the AI Playing Field for an episode of The Engagement Ring podcast. They shared insights from CTG UAlbany’s IMLS funded project on the role public libraries are playing in empowering communities to help ensure that emerging artificial intelligence technologies develop in ways that benefit everyone, not just a select few.