This course explores the theory and practice of legislative scrutiny and the role of technology and AI to assist these efforts. With a special emphasis on impact assessments of legislation both before and after it has been enacted, the course examines how the legislative and executive branches of government can upgrade the quality of legislative scrutiny and leverage technology to improve feedback loops, implementation monitoring and citizen engagement.

Drawing on recent parliamentary innovations and technological developments and expert case studies, this course is designed to equip parliamentary actors, researchers and policy makers with the knowledge and tools to lead innovation in a fast-changing governance landscape.

A comprehensive course outline on Agentic AI in Parliament and Lawmaking covers autonomous systems, legislative drafting, ethical governance, and oversight.

Module 1: Foundations of Agentic AI in Government

• Introduction to Agentic Systems: Learn how goal-directed, autonomous AI agents differ from standard large language models and basic chatbots.
• The Legislative Context: Map core parliamentary functions—such as research, scrutiny, and voting analysis—where agentic workflows can apply.
• Sovereignty and Infrastructure: Understand data security, shared government infrastructure, and managing dependencies in public tech.

Module 2: AI-Assisted Lawmaking and Bill Drafting

• Automated Research and Analysis: Use AI agents to process large volumes of legal codes, previous amendments, and cross-jurisdictional data.
• Drafting and Impact Assessment: Explore tools that support bill drafting, map text changes, and simulate policy outcomes before enactment.
• Managing “Shadow AI”: Address unsanctioned tool usage by MPs and staff by establishing secure, governed institutional alternatives.

Module 3: Parliamentary Oversight and Scrutiny

• Pre- and Post-Legislative Scrutiny: Apply autonomous auditing tools to evaluate the real-world performance and compliance of existing laws.
• Executive Branch Oversight: Leverage AI agents to track government spending, analyze agency reports, and flag policy execution gaps.
• Public Engagement Mechanisms: Process public consultations and citizen submissions at scale using natural language classification.

Module 4: Ethics, Risk, and Governance Frameworks

• Risk-Based and Rights-Based Approaches: Evaluate AI deployment against democratic norms, human rights, and rule-of-law principles.
• Human-in-the-Loop Controls: Design mandatory checkpoints, transparency requirements, and accountability structures for autonomous decisions.
• Capacity Building and Literacy: Implement role-based training programs for members of parliament, administrative staff, and technical IT teams