A University of California Irvine-led research team announced on June 1 that it has received funding from the Social Science Research Council to develop evaluation protocols and tools for municipal chatbots used in Southern California cities. The project will focus on assessing the accuracy, use, and impacts of artificial intelligence chatbots on residents’ civic understanding, engagement, and inclusion.
Bill Maurer, UC Irvine social sciences dean, professor of anthropology and law, and principal investigator for the project, said, “Municipal oversight remains focused on basic operational metrics, not on whether these systems help residents understand their rights, navigate civic processes or engage meaningfully with local government.” Maurer also referenced a 2023 incident in New York City where legally incorrect guidance was provided to small business owners by a chatbot. He said that rapid deployment without proper evaluation can have consequences beyond undermining public trust: “Critical public safety concerns can come into play when chatbots are consulted during emergency situations where clear, accurate information is essential.”
“So cities in Southern California face a choice: continue rolling out AI without democratic oversight or intentionally evaluate and govern these systems to strengthen civic trust, equity and participation,” Maurer said.
The collaborative effort includes UC Irvine colleagues Lori Greene (associate vice chancellor for operations and research program services), Athina Markopoulou (professor of electrical engineering and computer science; director of the Institute for Engineering AI for Society), Jackie Ku (political science graduate student), Olivia Figueira (computer science graduate student), as well as Ben Polsky (ethics and technology practitioner fellow at Stanford; director of AI and technology programs at Alliance for Local Leaders International).
Beginning in June 2026, the team will convene UC Irvine researchers alongside city technology leaders, industry professionals, and community experts from Los Angeles and Orange counties over three Policy Innovation Days. These sessions will feature open discussions aimed at co-developing evaluation tools and democratic engagement indicators for municipal chatbots. Markopoulou said, “Each session will explore evaluation findings and translate them into practical governance improvements related to procurement standards, oversight mechanisms, transparency protocols and community engagement. Convenings will allow for peer learning among municipal stakeholders, researchers and members of the communities they serve.”
Findings from this initiative will be published in a publicly available report with widely shared evaluation protocols intended to improve community-facing AI technologies used by city governments. The $30,000 grant from the Social Science Research Council supports this work through May 2027.
University of California Irvine participates in NCAA Division I athletics; holds Carnegie classification for very high research activity; functions within the University of California system; emphasizes inclusive excellence through education, research collaborations—including international programs—and public service; all while maintaining accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior College and University Commission, according to the official website.