Is your AI aligned with your values?

5 questions every leader should ask about AI

Author

Dana Berchman
May 05, 2025

In partnership with

Oh, hi!

What happens when AI doesn’t wait for instructions? 

That’s the shift Agentic AI brings—and it’s not a future challenge. It’s already here.

Agentic AI refers to systems that can make decisions and take actions on their own—without a human prompting every step. And while that may sound like a future problem, it’s already part of our present reality—processing information, making decisions, and carrying out tasks without constant human input. It’s not just a tool. It’s an actor in the system.

And if we’re not intentional about how we use it? It will act anyway—without context, without empathy, and without accountability.

In my work with city leaders, I always come back to this: The tools will keep changing. The message can’t.

❝

The tools don’t matter as much as the message you are sending.

Sherice Torres from the Oh, hi! Stories Podcast - Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon 

It’s not about what’s flashy or fast. It’s about trust. Access. Equity.

Yes, these tools can help us work faster and reach more people. But only if we ask the right questions and lead with the right values.

So before we rush to implement the latest AI solution, let’s stop and ask:

We should be designing with the people we serve in mind—not just chasing efficiency. That means building systems that reflect our values and meet people where they are, not just where the tech is going.

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Thanks for being part of this conversation—and for doing the work to make tech more human.

Talk soon,

—Dana

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From virtual keynotes to in-person workshops, I partner with city teams, associations, and organizations to talk about what’s next in digital engagement, citizen experience, and government storytelling.

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