National AI Demo Day?

The Wright Brothers proved flight was real through demos. It’s time for a National AI Demo Day to demystify AI and put the public in control.

The national media scoffed at reports out of Kitty Hawk. The Wright Brothers did not have the credentials the media deemed essential for the founders of flight. They were mere tinkerers. Journalists found it easy to question claims that the brothers had managed feats such as a 24-mile flight—then a big deal. Articles questioning the motives and morals of the Wrights spread across the country. The brothers persisted. They surely did not appreciate the skepticism but did not back down from the resulting challenge.

A series of public demonstrations at home and abroad by Wilbur and Orville finally forced the media to accept that aviation had turned a corner thanks to the Wrights. Of course, it took many more years before the general public went on to embrace air travel as a safe and reliable means of transit (notably it also took years for other innovators to refine the Wright's plane for mass ridership). The lesson from this brief overview is clear: transparency and openness can go a long way toward reducing popular skepticism.

It's a lesson that should inform efforts to popularize AI. As things stand, the technological wave brought on by AI is more like a tsunami than a powerful swell. It's something happening to Americans rather than something Americans are harnessing. Headline after headline recounts uses of AI that rightfully raise popular concerns. The U.S. DOGE Service (DOGE) has deployed AI systems to analyze the sensitive personal information of millions of taxpayers. DOGE members insist that they have completed the necessary trainings and adhered to best privacy practices to prevent such disclosures from exposing Americans to undue harms. The public seems to doubt that's the case.

A survey organized by Americans for Responsible Innovation (ARI) revealed that more than half of Americans (55%) opposed the government using AI to make decisions about "eligibility for unemployment assistance, college tuition aid, research investments, food aid, and small business loans." Eric Gastfriend, ARI's executive director, rightfully expects that a lot of this opposition has to do with a lack of AI understanding among the public. Surely a lack of transparency by DOGE does not help either. This current approach to AI deprives Americans of agency--it's being used seemingly willy-nilly with too little analysis of why its use may actually benefit the public.

This post focuses on how to partially solve the latter challenge—helping Americans see AI in use, understanding its risks and benefits, and empower them to help steer future decisions as to how AI is used. The former challenge—how to ensure transparency in government uses of AI will be the subject of future analysis.

One means to address public skepticism is simply through exposure. It's time to host a National AI Demo Day. Akin to Earth Day, designation of a day for schools, businesses, nonprofits, the media, and governments to focus on current and near-future uses of AI could go a long way toward increasing popular awareness of these tools. Imagine employees receiving a full breakdown of how their company is employing AI. Imagine students attending an assembly where AI developers explain the pros and cons of their research tools. Imagine governments publishing YouTube videos that walk through how exactly AI is being used to refine public services. Stick with me, imagine Oprah having Sam Altman, Dario Amodei, and other AI leaders back on her show to provide clear step-by-step uses of their tools.

This Demo Day would help lift the proverbial curtain--force Oz to show his face and explain his machines. An annual demo day would also help Americans say on the edge of AI development. Who knows what tools will be available in 2026, 2027, and beyond? Americans should expect early and meaningful opportunities to learn about these innovations.

Demo Days: A Proven Tech Tradition

Demo days have long been a cornerstone of technology development culture. From Y Combinator's legendary pitch sessions to university hackathons, the public display of innovation has catalyzed technological progress for decades. But this approach isn't unique to modern Silicon Valley.

In the 1930s, when much of rural America remained without electricity, the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) launched what became known as the "REA Circus"—a traveling roadshow that demonstrated electrical appliances and educated farmers about the transformative potential of electricity. These demonstrations didn't just showcase technology; they empowered communities to imagine new possibilities for their lives and livelihoods.

The democratization of AI knowledge is too important to leave to chance or to the marketing departments of tech giants. Structured, accessible demonstrations can transform intimidating technological abstractions into tangible tools that everyday Americans can understand and evaluate.

Global AI Education Race

While Americans debate AI's merits from the sidelines, other nations are taking proactive measures to integrate AI literacy into everyday life. China has already incorporated AI education into its standard curriculum, with students as young as elementary school age learning the fundamentals of machine learning. Estonia, a digital pioneer, regularly hosts AI workshops in public schools, helping citizens of all ages experiment with these tools.

These initiatives aren't merely educational—they're strategic. Citizens who grow up understanding AI become not only more capable users but also more discerning evaluators of AI systems deployed by governments and corporations. They develop what might be called "AI citizenship"—the ability to meaningfully participate in decisions about how these technologies shape society.

Without similar initiatives, Americans risk becoming passive consumers rather than active shapers of our AI future. A National AI Demo Day could help close this growing global AI literacy gap.

Beyond Corporate Showcases

Some might argue that a National AI Demo Day would simply give Big Tech another platform to promote their products. This legitimate concern demands thoughtful planning. The solution lies in deliberately structuring demonstrations to highlight diversity in the AI ecosystem.

A truly valuable AI Demo Day would prioritize smaller developers, local startups, and community-focused applications. Imagine demonstrations from:

• Local healthcare clinics showing how they're using AI to reduce administrative burdens and improve patient care

• Small farms demonstrating AI-powered tools that help optimize water usage and reduce pesticide applications

• Community colleges showcasing how they've implemented AI tutoring systems to support student success

By highlighting these smaller, more accessible implementations, a National AI Demo Day could illuminate the full spectrum of AI applications beyond the headline-grabbing projects of tech giants. This approach wouldn't just demystify AI – it would democratize it.

The Wright Brothers didn't just invent the airplane; they showed people it could fly. For AI to fulfill its potential as a broadly beneficial technology, we need more than technical progress – we need public understanding. A National AI Demo Day could be the first step toward transforming AI from something that happens to us into something we collectively shape.