Q&A: How are data and AI changing the future of policymaking?

Shimshack, who expects to teach in the program, weighed in on how data and AI are reshaping the field.

Q. How has the use of data changed in public policy over the last decade? 

A. Data is now everywhere. Tools and frameworks for analyzing data are expanding rapidly. As such, data analytics and data fluency are increasingly central to public-sector decision-making. We have enormous opportunities to use data and analysis to use our social resources more effectively, more cost-effectively and more responsibly. 

Q. What separates policy that is genuinely informed by data from policy that just has data attached to it? 

A. The United States has a rich history of well-intentioned public policies. Many of those policies achieved their goals, but many did not. Some even led to unintended consequences that left us worse off on the very dimensions the policy was targeted at in the first place. 

As the world becomes more complex, designing and implementing effective and cost-efficient public policy requires an understanding of what policies work, what policies don’t work and why – both in general and in a given policy context. That requires evidence, and evidence requires data and cutting-edge analysis. 

Jay Shimshack is the associate dean for academic affairs at UVA’s Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy and a professor of public policy and economics. He expects to teach classes in the Batten School’s new Master of Science in Public Policy and Data program. (Contributed photo)

This is not to say that other legitimate policy evaluation criteria don’t exist. They do, and they’re important. But a rigorous, data-driven understanding of the causes and consequences of policy outcomes is a critical part of solving the world’s most pressing challenges.

Q. Where do artificial intelligence and machine learning fit into all this? Are they changing how policy actually gets made? 

A. My sense is that we are on the brink of a sea change here. AI and frontier data analytics tools are accelerating linkages between data and actionable evidence for public policy. But these tools can generate misleading results. So it’s critical that we have well-trained professionals with a rich understanding of the tool itself, the policy context, and the ethical, effective and reproducible application of AI and other tools. At the Batten School, we aim to be the premier training ground for exactly this skill set. 

Q. Why has data literacy become such a make-or-break skill for professionals in this field?

A. Policy professionals benefit from understanding economic and political contexts and developing the leadership skills necessary to translate insight into impact. And policy professionals have always benefited from a foundational understanding of data and research methods, so at a minimum, they can evaluate the plausibility of quantitative evidence presented to them. 

As the policy world becomes more complex and as data availability expands, we are hearing from government, industry, research and nongovernmental organization partners about rapidly increasing needs for policy professionals who can themselves use causal methods, predictive analytics, machine learning, AI and other tools to inform policy with original evidence. That is, we need more professionals with strong quantitative interests and aptitudes who can effectively analyze large datasets to diagnose policy problems, evaluate solutions, inform implementation and translate rigorous evidence into real-world impact. 

Q. The Batten School recently launched a new graduate program focused on this kind of training. What do you hope someone with the Master of Public Policy and Data will do after they graduate, and how do you see them using their new skills?

A. We expect our graduates to become leading voices addressing the problems that matter most for public service. Our graduates’ sophisticated analytical skills and trusted translational abilities will give them new opportunities for advancement in federal, state and local governments; think tanks and research institutions; nongovernmental organizations; consultancies; and the private sector. 

Armed with answers to questions like “What do the data show?” and “What do data-driven quantitative insights imply for existing and new policies?,” we expect our graduates to move the needle on policy design and implementation in areas like national security, energy and the environment, health and healthcare, economic development, education and many more.