Special Briefing Series

Special Briefing is a monthly event series and podcast covering critical issues impacting the fiscal health of cities and states. Co-hosted by Penn IUR Fellow and Volcker Alliance Senior Director William Glasgall and Penn IUR Co-Director Susan Wachter, the series features online conversations with experts from national research networks, along with other leading academics, economists, and government leaders. 

Special Briefing: AI in Government—More Efficiency but Fewer Workers?

digital government icons over hands at keyboard
Special Briefing Series Online
November 20, 2025
Special Briefing: AI in Government—More Efficiency but Fewer Workers?

Artificial Intelligence is slowly making its way into state and local government, heralding a new era of governmental efficiency while threatening the jobs of almost 18 million workers.

William Glasgall Susan Wachter Jon Hartley Megan Kilgore Howard Neukrug Leigh Palmer Thomas Sanchez
State & Local Finance
View Event Details
Special Briefing Series October 16, 2025 Special Briefing: Strategies for Closing the US Infrastructure Gap The October 16 Special Briefing addressed how states are working to close the $1 Trillion deferred infrastructure maintenance gap, among other infrastructure topics. Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Leslie Richards Camila Fonseca Sarmiento Geoffrey Buswick Fatima Yousofi Hughey Newsome State & Local Finance Special Briefing Series September 11, 2025 Special Briefing on the Muni Debt Boom: Record Borrowing Amid Budget Strains On September 11, 2005, Bill Glasgall and Susan Wachter return for a Special Briefing with an expert panel to address the record-shattering boom in state and local borrowing. Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Matt Fabian Fitzroy Lee Vikram Rai Sheila Weinberg Mark Zandi State & Local Finance

More Upcoming Special Briefing Series Events

Jan 29 11:00 am Special Briefing: The Year Ahead for Cities Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter State & Local Finance

Past Events

Dec 16 2025 Past Event Special Briefing on the Outlook for 2026: How States & Cities Will Adapt to Wrenching Change Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Matt Fabian Eric Kim Torsten Slok State & Local Finance
Nov 20 2025 Past Event Special Briefing: AI in Government—More Efficiency but Fewer Workers? Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Jon Hartley Megan Kilgore Howard Neukrug Leigh Palmer Thomas Sanchez State & Local Finance
Oct 16 2025 Past Event Special Briefing: Strategies for Closing the US Infrastructure Gap Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Leslie Richards Camila Fonseca Sarmiento Geoffrey Buswick Fatima Yousofi Hughey Newsome State & Local Finance
Sep 11 2025 Past Event Special Briefing on the Muni Debt Boom: Record Borrowing Amid Budget Strains Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Matt Fabian Fitzroy Lee Vikram Rai Sheila Weinberg Mark Zandi State & Local Finance
May 08 2025 Past Event Special Briefing on State Budgets: The Big Squeeze Speakers:  William Glasgall Susan Wachter Emily S. Brock Shelby Kerns Vikram Rai Jonathan Womer Teryn Zmuda State & Local Finance
Apr 14 2025 Past Event Special Briefing | Mayors under Stress: Financing Local Development around the World Speakers:  Steve Adler Stephanie Miner Nasiphi Moya Jaime Pumarejo Heins Eugénie L. Birch William Glasgall State & Local Finance
Mar 18 2025 Past Event Special Briefing: The Future of Mass Transportation under Trump and the GOP Speakers:  Kurt Forsgren David Greising Randy Iwasaki Leslie Richards Polly Trottenberg Eugénie L. Birch William Glasgall State & Local Finance
Feb 20 2025 Past Event Special Briefing: The New Administration’s First Month Speakers:  Mark Zandi Carolyn Bourdeaux Jeffrey Holland Eric Kim Vikram Rai Torsten Slok William Glasgall Susan Wachter State & Local Finance
Dec 05 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: The Road Ahead for the Economy, States, and Localities as Donald Trump and the GOP Take Charge Speakers:  Torsten Slok Annie Linskey Carolyn Bourdeaux Eric Kazatsky Teryn Zmuda State & Local Finance
Oct 24 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: America’s Growth Regions Speakers:  Kim Norton Robert Buschman Eric Kim Tom Schuette State & Local Finance
Sep 19 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: Year Ahead for America’s States and Municipalities Speakers:  Mark Zandi Vikram Rai Jane Ridley Matthew Stitt State & Local Finance
Jun 27 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: State Tax Breaks State & Local Finance
May 29 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: Doom Loop or Boom Loop—Work from Home and the Challenges Facing US Cities State & Local Finance
Apr 25 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: America's $900 Billion Water Crisis State & Local Finance
Mar 28 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: America's Hot Growth States State & Local Finance
Feb 28 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: State Tax Cuts State & Local Finance
Jan 25 2024 Past Event Special Briefing: 2024 Fiscal Outlook for States and Cities State & Local Finance
Nov 30 2023 Past Event Special Briefing: Public Pensions - Still a Crisis? State & Local Finance
Oct 19 2023 Past Event Special Briefing: Rolling Out the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act—What’s Being Built and What’s in the Pipeline State & Local Finance
Sep 21 2023 Past Event Special Briefing: Recession? Soft Landing? . . . Impact on States and Cities State & Local Finance

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