A growing number of essential public services are now digital-first—but not everyone has reliable devices, broadband, or safe places to connect. Digital inclusion requires more than better interfaces; it means building systems that work across low-bandwidth environments, rural communities, older populations, and people experiencing housing instability. Public service must expand access, not simply shift who is included.

AI is reshaping public systems, but not everyone benefits equally. This piece explores how long-standing power patterns reappear in AI—and what public leaders can do to ensure innovation strengthens, rather than erodes, public trust.