As a co-applicant, Ghebreab will, together with Civic AI Lab and colleague Aida Kalender, lead the project’s work on developing AI-driven solutions in close collaboration with citizens and communities who experience low levels of trust in government institutions. Ghebreab emphasises that this work is fundamentally about bridging divides: developing AI technologies with communities that are underrepresented, underserved, or distrustful of public systems.

The broader URRRRRban project — led by Prof. Mascha van der Voort of the University of Twente — aims to integrate scientific expertise, participatory approaches, and community engagement into practical policymaking contexts. Within this framework, Ghebreab’s contribution ensures that AI design remains socially grounded, ethically attuned, and reflective of real community needs.

Ghebreab’s involvement also underscores a wider commitment to socially sensitive and inclusive AI. By working directly with communities that have historically been marginalized in public decision-making, he seeks to co-create AI tools that are both technically sound and socially legitimate.

Backed by this significant NWO investment, the project will unite researchers, community partners, policymakers, and citizens. Through Ghebreab’s leadership on community-centred AI and experience with Civic AI Lab, the URRRRRban team aims to set a new benchmark for how policy-relevant AI is developed and implemented — particularly in contexts where trust, inclusion, and social equity are paramount.