The pandemic created political superheroes and villains. In Illinois, Pritzker was both — lauded for stepping up to former President Donald Trump and fighting for COVID-19 resources, and lambasted by those who viewed him as an authoritarian for enacting long-standing executive orders that shut down much of the state. The pandemic also fueled presidential ambitions among many governors across the nation, including Pritzker.
A largely unasked question is becoming glaring: Is Illinois doing all it should to use artificial intelligence to make government cost less and work better? So far, the evidence says no.