Startup Events in Somerville

TOPIC: Can AI Save Democracy? How AI Could Build Better Government SPEAKER: Dr. Beth Simone Noveck, Northeastern University Trust in government is at a low point, and everywhere you look, AI seems to be part of the problem, fueling misinformation, automating jobs away, deepening surveillance. But what if the story could run the other way? In this talk, based on her new book Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy (Yale University Press, 2026), Dr. Beth Simone Noveck argues that fixing democracy is a design problem, and one AI can actually help solve, if we build and govern it the right way. Drawing on her work inside the Obama White House, 10 Downing Street, and AI systems used by millions of people, she makes the case that democratic renewal deserves the same ambition we give to space exploration or curing disease. Topics include: Why "democratic dysfunction" isn't just a political failure, it's a design challenge we can actually work on Real-world experiments, from citizen participation in Hamburg to faster permitting in Boston, that show tech making government work better How AI can help defend elections, catch disinformation, and get voters accurate information What it would take for AI to make government more responsive instead of more powerful in the hands of a few About the Speaker Dr. Beth Simone Noveck is a Professor at Northeastern University, where she directs the Burnes Center for Social Change and The Governance Lab (The GovLab), and serves as Chief AI Strategist for the State of New Jersey. She previously worked in the Obama White House as the first U.S. Deputy Chief Technology Officer and advised leaders including Chancellor Angela Merkel and 10 Downing Street on modernizing government. She holds an A.B. from Harvard University, a Ph.D. from the University of Innsbruck, and a J.D. from Yale Law School. Agenda 7:00 PM — Doors Open (Grab a seat and drinks!) 7:30 PM — Lecture Begins 8:10 PM — Audience Q&A 8:30 PM — Drinks & Conversation 9:00 PM — Eve