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Polity AtlasObservatory digest · latest
15 September 2026
AI is everywhere in OECD governments; evaluation is not
The OECD Digital Government Outlook 2026 reports AI use in at least one government function in 35 of 36 surveyed countries, but only 10 report any evaluation.
This fortnight in the Observatory:
Signal · Alternative governanceSignal: Irish assembly recommendations are followed up unevenlyIreland's biodiversity assembly reports high uptake by the government's own count, while the Dublin assembly's mayor proposal was still 'under consideration' in July 2026, more than three years after its report.
Briefing · AI & the Future of GovernanceEU AI Act timetable changes: high-risk rules move to 2027-2028Regulation (EU) 2026/1744 (the Digital Omnibus on AI) entered into force on 27 July 2026. Annex III high-risk obligations now apply from 2 December 2027 and Annex I product-embedded systems from 2 August 2028.
Signal · Alternative governanceSignal: citizens' assemblies becoming a routine instrumentIreland has convened several citizens' assemblies since 2016; random-selection bodies are increasingly part of the ordinary toolkit rather than one-off experiments.
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