AI4Legislation: Using AI to Enhance Civic Awareness and Action

A Project by Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation (SVCAF)

Introduction

The Silicon Valley Chinese Association Foundation (SVCAF) is committed to empowering civic engagement, particularly among Chinese American communities. We believe that technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), can bridge the gap between citizens and the legislative process.

With this vision, we are launching AI4Legislation, an open competition that invites innovators to develop and submit open-source, public domain AI tools that make legislation more transparent, understandable, and accessible to the public. The competition will engage participants nationwide, encouraging youth, civic leaders, technologists, and legal professionals to contribute AI-driven solutions that foster greater civic participation.

This document provides an overview of the project, including goals, competition structure, volunteer roles, and how you can get involved.

1. Project Goals

AI4Legislation seeks to:
🔹 Simplify complex legal texts using AI-powered tools to make legislative documents accessible to all.
🔹 Enable better tracking of laws and policies by developing tools that monitor bill progress, amendments, and implementation.
🔹 Encourage civic action by making it easier for citizens to engage with lawmakers and participate in the legislative process.
🔹 Foster open-source solutions that remain publicly available for communities and organizations to use freely.
🔹 Be open to US individuals and teams: The competition is open to all U.S. individuals and teams, but we especially encourage students and young professionals to participate and engage in civic technology.

Through this initiative, we aim to empower individuals and organizations with AI-driven tools that enhance democratic participation.

2. Competition Structure

The AI4Legislation competition is structured in three main phases:

📌 Phase 1: Planning and Fundraising (March-April, tentative)

• Define project milestones, competition categories, and rules.
• Develop a fundraising strategy to secure sponsorships and donations beyond SVCAF’s initial funding.
• Identify potential partners such as civic organizations, legal experts, and AI developers.

📌 Phase 2: Marketing, Outreach, and Submission Phase (May-July, tentative)

• Launch the official competition website and registration.
• Promote the competition via social media, community groups, and educational institutions.
• Conduct webinars, online Q&A sessions, and mentorship programs to support participants.
• Accept and process AI tool submissions.

📌 Phase 3: Judging, Awards, and Post-Competition Showcase (Aug-Sept, tentative)

• Assemble a panel of judges with expertise in AI, law, and civic engagement.
• Evaluate submissions based on impact, usability, and innovation.
• Announce winners and distribute awards.
• Host a showcase event (online) where winning solutions are presented and made open-source.

3. Categories of AI Solutions

Participants will compete in one or more of the following categories:

🔹 Legislative Tracking

• AI-powered tools to monitor the progress of bills, amendments, and key legislative changes.
• Dashboards and visualizations that help the public track government actions.

🔹 Bill Analysis

• AI tools that generate easy-to-understand summaries, pros/cons, and potential impacts of legislative texts.
• NLP-based applications that translate legal jargon into plain language.

🔹 Civic Action & Advocacy

• AI chatbots or platforms that help users contact their representatives, sign petitions, or organize civic actions.
• Compliance monitoring tools, including these that ensure government spending aligns with legislative budgets.

🔹 Other Innovations

• Any other AI-driven solutions that enhance public understanding and participation in legislative processes.

4. How Volunteers Can Help

To make AI4Legislation a success, we need dedicated volunteers in various roles. No matter your background, there’s a way for you to contribute! This opportunity is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

🔹 Project Management Team

• Lead and coordinate different phases of the competition.
• Develop and track project timelines and milestones.
• Ensure smooth communication among volunteers, participants, and partners.

🔹 Marketing & Outreach Team

• Manage social media and online campaigns to attract participants.
• Create promotional materials (flyers, videos, blog posts).
• Conduct outreach to tech communities, legal professionals, and student organizations.

🔹 Fundraising & Sponsorship Team

• Identify and reach out to potential donors, corporate sponsors, and grant programs.
• Organize fundraising events or online donation campaigns.

🔹 AI & Tech Mentors

• Provide guidance to competition participants on AI development and best practices.
• Help evaluate technical feasibility of AI submissions.

🔹 Judging & Evaluation Team

• Review and score competition submissions based on defined criteria.
• Ensure transparency and fairness in the selection process.

5. Initial Funding & Prize Pool

To support the AI4Legislation competition, SVCAF has allocated $10,000 in seed matching funds to the award prize pool. This funding will serve as the initial foundation for the competition’s prizes, with the goal of attracting additional sponsorships and donations to further expand the prize pool.

We welcome contributions from individuals, organizations, and corporate sponsors to help increase the impact of this initiative. All donations will be matched up to $10,000 by SVCAF, effectively doubling the total prize pool and providing more support to participants who develop innovative AI solutions for civic engagement.

If you or your organization are interested in supporting this initiative, please reach out to us. Every contribution helps empower civic awareness through technology!

6. Why You Should Join Us

By volunteering with AI4Legislation, you will:

✅ Be part of an innovative civic tech initiative that uses AI for social good.
✅ Work with like-minded professionals, technologists, and civic leaders.
✅ Gain hands-on experience in project management, marketing, AI development, or legal tech.
✅ Make a real impact by helping communities better understand and engage with legislation.

📢 Ready to get involved?

📌 Email: info@svcaf.org

📌 Google Sign-up Form for Volunteers: Link

📌 Competition Details: https://github.com/svcaf/2025-AI4Legislation-Public

📌 Discord server to hangout and chat： https://discord.gg/P5k2Ap2XuF

Let’s bridge the gap between citizens and legislation with AI—together! 🚀

AI4Legislation：用人工智能提升公民意识与行动

硅谷华人协会基金会（SVCAF）项目

1. 项目简介

硅谷华人协会基金会（SVCAF） 致力于推动公民参与，特别是增强华裔群体在美国社会中的政治与法律意识。我们相信，人工智能（AI） 可以成为连接公民与立法过程的重要桥梁。

基于这一愿景，我们正式启动 AI4Legislation 竞赛，邀请创新者开发并提交 开源、公共领域的 AI 工具，让立法信息更透明、易懂、可行动。本次竞赛面向全美范围内的个人和团队，特别鼓励青年、科技爱好者、公民领袖和法律专业人士共同参与，贡献 AI 解决方案，推动公民对立法的广泛参与。

AI4Legislation 旨在：
🔹 简化复杂法律文本，利用 AI 技术让立法文件易于理解。
🔹 提升法律和政策的可追踪性，开发工具帮助公众跟踪法案进展、修正案和实施情况。
🔹 促进公民参与立法，为公众提供便捷的方式与政策制定者互动。
🔹 鼓励开源贡献，让竞赛产出的 AI 工具向全社会免费开放。
🔹 推动青年群体参与，激励学生和年轻专业人士利用 AI 赋能社会。本次竞赛对所有美国个人和团队开放，但我们特别鼓励学生和年轻专业人士参与，积极投身于公民科技领域。

我们希望通过这一项目，让公民更容易理解和参与立法，提高民主意识和行动力。

2. 竞赛流程

AI4Legislation 竞赛分为三个阶段：

📌 第一阶段：规划与筹款（3-4 月，暂定）

• 确定竞赛规则、类别和时间表。
• 设计 筹款策略，吸引更多企业、机构及个人捐助。
• 确定 合作伙伴，包括公民组织、法律专家和 AI 研发人员。

📌 第二阶段：宣传推广 & 作品提交（5-7 月，暂定）

• 启动竞赛官网和报名系统。
• 通过 社交媒体、社区组织、教育机构 进行推广。
• 开展 线上研讨会、答疑会和导师指导计划 支持参赛者。
• 开放并接受 AI 方案提交。

📌 第三阶段：评审、颁奖与成果展示（8-9 月，暂定）

• 组建 专家评审团（涵盖 AI、法律、公民参与领域）。
• 评估参赛作品，根据影响力、实用性和创新性打分。
• 公布获奖名单，颁发奖金。
• 举办 线上成果展示会，向公众开放优秀作品。

3. 竞赛类别

参赛者可选择以下类别之一或多个提交作品：

🔹 立法追踪（Legislative Tracking）

• AI 工具帮助跟踪法案进程、修正案和立法进展。
• 以可视化方式展示政府决策和政策变化。

🔹 法案解读（Bill Analysis）

• AI 生成 简明法案摘要、优劣势分析和潜在影响评估。
• 结合 NLP 技术，将法律术语转化为通俗易懂的语言。

🔹 公民行动 & 倡导（Civic Action & Advocacy）

• AI 互动平台，帮助用户 联系议员、签署请愿书或组织活动。
• 监督法律的执行，包括跟踪政府开支，确保 财政预算与立法规定相符。

🔹 其他创新（Other Innovations）

• 任何能提升公民理解立法、推动社会参与的 AI 解决方案。

4. 志愿者招募：我们需要你的加入！

AI4Legislation 的成功需要 热心志愿者 的共同努力。无论你的背景如何，都能在不同岗位贡献力量！

🔹 项目管理团队（Project Management）

• 负责竞赛整体策划与执行。
• 制定时间表，确保各阶段顺利推进。
• 维护志愿者、参赛者与合作伙伴之间的沟通。

🔹 市场推广 & 社区宣传团队（Marketing & Outreach）

• 负责社交媒体运营，扩大项目影响力。
• 制作 宣传材料（海报、短视频、博客文章）。
• 联络 技术社区、法律界人士、学生组织 进行推广。

🔹 筹款 & 赞助团队（Fundraising & Sponsorship）

• 开拓潜在捐助者、企业赞助和基金支持。
• 组织筹款活动，提高资金支持。

🔹 AI & 技术导师（AI & Tech Mentors）

• 为参赛者提供 AI 技术指导和咨询。
• 评估 AI 方案的技术可行性。

🔹 评审 & 评估团队（Judging & Evaluation）

• 参与作品评审，确保竞赛公平透明。
• 依据创新性、影响力和可行性进行评分。

5. 初始资金与奖池

为了支持 AI4Legislation 竞赛，SVCAF 已拨款 $10,000 作为种子匹配资金，用于奖池。这笔资金将作为竞赛奖金的基础，我们同时也希望通过额外的赞助和捐款进一步扩大奖池规模。

我们欢迎个人、机构和企业赞助，以增强本次竞赛的影响力。SVCAF 将提供 1:1 匹配捐款，最高匹配 $10,000，也就是说，每一笔捐款都会被 SVCAF 等额匹配，从而有效增加竞赛的总奖金，支持参赛者开发创新的 AI 解决方案，促进公民参与立法。

如果您或您的组织有兴趣支持本次活动，请与我们联系。您的每一份贡献，都将助力 AI 技术推动公民意识和行动！

6. 为什么加入我们？

加入 AI4Legislation 志愿者团队，你将：

✅ 参与 AI+公民科技的前沿项目，推动社会变革。
✅ 结识志同道合的专业人士，拓展人脉。
✅ 积累项目管理、技术开发和社会创新的宝贵经验。
✅ 为推动立法透明度和公民参与贡献实际影响。

📢 立即加入我们！Email: info@svcaf.org

📢 志愿者报名表：Link

📢 竞赛细则：https://github.com/svcaf/2025-AI4Legislation-Public

📢 Discord: https://discord.gg/P5k2Ap2XuF

让我们携手用 AI 连接公民与立法，推动更透明、更公平的社会进步！🚀