Applied AI for Public Policy

This course has two components every week: coding and reading. Students build working tools — data scripts, visualizations, automated pipelines — using AI coding assistants. And they read and discuss research on how AI systems affect public policy — from biased algorithms to governance failures. Neither component stands alone: the builds make the readings concrete, and the readings make the builds responsible. Artificial intelligence is transforming how governments deliver services, analyze policy options, and make decisions that affect millions of people. At the same time, AI systems introduce new risks — bias in automated decisions, hallucinated facts in policy analyses, opacity in public-facing tools — that demand careful governance. This course teaches MPA students to use AI tools for public policy analysis and implementation, while also understanding the risks, limitations, and governance challenges those tools create.