Policy brief for management teams, individuals, and organizations in the field of social participation is available download in Portuguese and English
The Brazil Chair of the Institute of Political Science at the University of Münster, Germany, released on Tuesday (January 21) a publication exploring current and potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in political participation processes and democratic governance in smart cities.
Primarily aimed at public managers, the policy brief provides a comprehensive overview of AI as a tool to amplify citizen participation and improve urban governance. Additionally, it highlights critical considerations such as ethical concerns, impacts on transparency, and risks of digital exclusion, proposing an agenda for discussions on the new state capabilities required to implement these technologies responsibly.
About the Project
The publication was developed under the project State Capacities for Online Participation in Smart Cities (SCOPE), carried out by the Brazil Chair at the University of Münster in partnership with the Brazilian Center at the University of Münster and supported by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel – Brazil (CAPES).
The document reflects the project’s objective to produce and disseminate knowledge about the use of data and digital technologies in urban governance. It aligns with the discussions promoted by the project’s webinar series, which included contributions from entities such as the International Digital Dialogues of the German Ministry of Digitalization and Transport/GIZ and the Goethe-Institut São Paulo.
Authors
The publication showcases the expertise of a multidisciplinary team:
- Fernanda Campagnucci: Postdoctoral researcher at IfPol at the University of Münster. Former Executive Director of Open Knowledge Brasil (2019–2024) and manager at São Paulo City Hall (2013–2019), where she coordinated transparency policies, open government projects, and digital transformation initiatives.
- José Carlos Vaz: Leader of the Brazil Chair at the University of Münster (2024–2025). Professor of Public Policy Management at the School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities of the University of São Paulo (EACH-USP), he coordinates the Study Group on Technology and Innovation in Public Administration (GETIP).
- Norbert Kersting: Professor of Comparative Political Science with a focus on municipal and regional politics at IfPol at the University of Münster. He leads the “Urban and Regional Innovation” (URII) research center.
- Italo Alberto Sousa: PhD candidate in the Social Change and Political Participation program at the University of São Paulo. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of São Paulo and worked as a data scientist at the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency (Anvisa).
Access the publication in Portuguese and English on the project’s official website: scope.uni-muenster.de.