Professor Beth Simone Noveck’s New Book Asks: Can AI Save Democracy?

06.22.26 — At a time when trust in both government and artificial intelligence is declining, Professor Beth Simone Noveck argues that democracy itself must become a focus of innovation. In her new book, Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy (Yale University Press, 2026), she makes the case that if democracy is to survive the AI era, we must treat democratic renewal as a grand challenge, demanding the same ambition and investment devoted to space exploration, climate science and medical discovery.

Drawing on decades of experience in government, academia and technology, Noveck explores how AI can be designed and governed to strengthen democratic institutions rather than undermine them.

According to Noveck, who directs the Burnes Center for Social Change and the Governance Lab, “We have built extraordinary tools without yet using them where they are needed most: to forge institutions that listen more closely, decide more wisely and act more effectively. We stand at an inflection point. Will AI tighten the grip of power—or help rebuild public institutions that work for people?”

Reboot offers a practical roadmap for action, including how governments should procure and deploy AI systems, how universities should change how they teach and what they research, and how companies and individuals alike can build AI for public good. As AI transforms economies and societies, Reboot asks a fundamental question: Will AI concentrate power in the hands of a few, or help democracies become more responsive, effective and inclusive?

A leader in democratic innovation and public sector technology, Noveck focuses on the responsible use of collective and artificial intelligence to strengthen democratic institutions.

Noveck founded InnovateUS, which delivers evidence-based training for public sector professionals across 80 countries and launched AI for Impact, a Northeastern fellowship program building open source AI tools with government partners. Earlier in her career, she created Peer-to-Patent, a pioneering platform connecting outside experts with policymakers to improve public decision-making.

In addition to Reboot: AI and the Race to Save Democracy, Noveck is the author of multiple books on governance and innovation including Solving Public Problems (Yale University Press, 2021), which was named a Best Book of the Year by Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Smart Citizens, Smarter State (Harvard University Press, 2016).