Amplifying Public Communication in the AI Era: Highlights from Our Year-Long Intellectual Journey

This piece by John Wihbey and Jill Abramson distills lessons from the InnovateUS Amplify workshop series, where public-sector communicators grappled with how AI is reshaping their work amid declining public trust. Across sessions, we learn that AI can accelerate research, synthesis, and storytelling, but it cannot replace judgment, verification, or institutional values. As communicators adopt new tools, the opportunity lies in using AI to strengthen transparency, credibility, and connection with the public, rather than erode them.