Technology is often blamed for weakening social bonds, yet it is also enabling new forms of community across borders. From fandoms to digital activism, technological platforms allow people to organize, share ideas, and build collective identities that influence culture, politics, and social change.

A surprising experiment in Albania—appointing an artificial intelligence as a virtual minister overseeing public procurement—opens an important debate about technology and governance. Could algorithms help reduce corruption and improve transparency? The article reflects on the lessons this innovation offers for Colombia and the future of smart government.

This article explores the results of a civic conversation initiative around Bogotá’s Metro Line 1. Using LucIA, an AI-powered chatbot designed to improve transparency in public contracting, the initiative tested new ways to strengthen citizen participation, reduce misinformation, and build trust around one of Colombia’s most important infrastructure projects.

A large blackout can quickly trigger distrust toward renewable energy and the energy transition. This article reflects on how moments of crisis reveal tensions between technological transformation, public perception, and political narratives about energy systems, highlighting the need for transparency and better communication in the transition to sustainable energy.

LucIA is a generative-AI chatbot designed to make public procurement easier to understand and monitor. By allowing citizens, companies and public officials to interact with complex contract data through natural language, LucIA promotes transparency, strengthens accountability and opens new possibilities for GovTech innovation in public infrastructure oversight.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly entering the public sector, but its value goes far beyond technological trends. This article explores how AI can transform public administration when applied with purpose, ethical governance and institutional capacity, drawing on the perspective of public management expert Concepción Campos and lessons for governments navigating digital transformation.

The expansion of renewable energy is essential for the energy transition, yet many projects face growing social opposition in local communities. Using the metaphor of an “oncological disease,” this article explores how fear, mistrust and lack of dialogue can spread resistance to renewable projects, highlighting the need for participation, mediation and stronger social legitimacy in the energy transition.

Social media has transformed political communication, often rewarding visibility over legislative performance. This article explores how digital technologies and data transparency can expose the gap between online popularity and real parliamentary work, offering citizens new tools to evaluate the competence, integrity and accountability of elected representatives.

Renewable energy projects often face local resistance despite broad support for the energy transition. This article explores the concept of the “social license” of renewable energy and the evolution from the classic NIMBY (“Not In My Backyard”) reaction toward a new phenomenon: NIMTO (“Not In My Term of Office”), where political incentives and governance dynamics shape how renewable projects are accepted or rejected.

Smart government goes beyond digitalizing bureaucracy. It combines emerging technologies, open government principles and civic collaboration to solve public problems more effectively. This article explains how smart government can improve transparency, strengthen citizen participation and transform public institutions to deliver better services and public value.

Climate change is one of the most complex challenges facing the world today. Yet while its causes and impacts are global, many of the most effective responses occur at the local level. This article reflects on how cities, communities and local governments play a crucial role in advancing sustainability, energy transition and climate resilience.

Open government is more than a transparency policy—it is a governance model that integrates citizen participation, accountability and collaboration across public institutions. This article argues that open government should not be treated as a standalone reform but as a cross-cutting principle capable of strengthening public policies and democratic legitimacy.

In an era marked by polarization and ideological fatigue, new ways of thinking about politics are emerging. This article introduces the idea of “diagonal thinking” as a framework that moves beyond traditional left-right divisions, promoting critical debate, collective intelligence and pragmatic solutions to complex public challenges.