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arXiv · 2602.08554

Three Lessons from Citizen-Centric Participatory AI Design

Eike Schneiders·Sarah Kiden·Beining Zhang·Bruno Rafael Queiros Arcanjo·Zhaoxing Li·Ezhilarasi Periyathambi·Vahid Yazdanpanah·Sebastian Stein
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Abstract

This workshop paper examines challenges in designing agentic AI systems from a citizen-centric perspective. Drawing on three participatory workshops conducted in 2025 with members of the general public and cross-sector stakeholders, we explore how societal values and expectations shape visions of future AI agents. Using constructive design research methods, participants engaged in storytelling and lo-fi prototyping to reflect on potential community impacts. We identify three key challenges: enabling meaningful and sustained public engagement, establishing a shared language between experts and lay participants, and translating speculative participant input into implementable systems. We argue that reflexive, long-term participation is essential for responsible and actionable citizen-centric AI development.

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Eike Schneiders, Sarah Kiden, Beining Zhang, Bruno Rafael Queiros Arcanjo, Zhaoxing Li, Ezhilarasi Periyathambi, Vahid Yazdanpanah, Sebastian Stein. 2026-02-09. Three Lessons from Citizen-Centric Participatory AI Design. https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.08554

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