

The Civic Conversation: AI in Public Service | AI Week 2026 · Day 1
Monday May 4: The Civic Conversation: AI in Public Service
Rep. Zach Hawkins and Joshua Gunn get real about what AI means for the communities government is supposed to serve.
Description: Two leaders, two vantage points, one honest conversation. Rep. Zach Hawkins brings the legislative lens. Joshua Gunn — Durham's Director of Economic and Workforce Development, and a strategist, entrepreneur, and artist — brings the operational reality. Together they'll dig into how AI is actually showing up in public service, what's working, what's overhyped, and what communities stand to gain when government gets this right. Expect substance over slides. This is part of AI Week, Knox St Studios' curated salon series on artificial intelligence across business, government, and community.