As 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that has tested, yet demanded, a shared belief in technology as a force that can benefit and empower the American public. Across New America’s Technology and Democracy programs, we have worked to show that progress in the digital age should not be about innovation for innovation’s sake—it should be about inclusion, trust, and expanding what we, the people, can create and accomplish.
This year, our community of programs, initiatives, and fellows has continued to inform national and global conversations on how technology can strengthen democracy rather than undermine it. We launched new initiatives that bring together researchers, policymakers, and communities to rethink how AI can serve people, not power. We’ve highlighted how the ways in which powerful actors collect and use data can be corrupted. We’ve remained steadfast in our belief that in this era, everyone deserves fast, affordable access to the internet—an internet in which seamless convergence is the norm, enabling access and transitions to the best available connection at any location. We’ve partnered to advance models of public interest technology that center human dignity in their design and deployment.
In moments of uncertainty, where rapid political change and deep partisan divides lead us to question institutions meant to bolster democracy, our work has remained grounded in a simple idea: Technology must advance justice and opportunity for all. From campuses exploring the use of AI and city halls adopting open digital tools to advocates ensuring access and accountability, this principle guides all that we do.
I’m deeply grateful to our partners, funders, and colleagues who worked alongside us this year. Your belief in our mission fuels our ability to experiment, convene, and lead. Together, we are building the foundations of a more equitable digital future—one that honors both the promise of technology and the power of the people.
As we look ahead, I’m filled with hope. The work set out before us may be monumental, but the community we are building to accomplish that work is strong. Thank you for being a part of it.
