Generative AI

Generative artificial intelligence (Gen AI) is the most rapidly expanding AI-driven technology globally. Gen AI can produce content seemingly crafted by humans in six modalities: text, code, audio, image, video, and 3D. Though the growth of Gen AI has been rapid, a March 2025 Elon University survey found that half of Americans now use AI language models such as ChatGPT or Gemini. Another growing trend in Gen AI is the emergence of image-generation platforms such as OpenAI's DALL-E 3, which users can prompt through ChatGPT.

AI is impacting nearly every sector. Initial bans of ChatGPT in major school districts have been supplanted by a recognition of the need to teach students how to use AI tools appropriately and take advantage of their potential benefits. Gen AI can be a game-changer for individuals with disabilities, offering them tools and solutions to navigate challenges more autonomously. Politically, the technology could revolutionize how campaigns engage with the electorate. However, the inherent biases within different LLMs, coupled with the proliferation of deepfake technologies, make AI-fueled disinformation a major threat to the integrity of democratic processes and fair elections.

Gen AI platforms such as ChatGPT can augment planning practice in a wide range of ways, though planners must be aware of how to ethically and responsibly use these technologies. To learn more about the broader use of AI in planning, read PAS Report 604, Planning With Artificial Intelligence.