How to build an AI Policy Analyst

TL;DR

This agent automates the creation of a comprehensive policy brief on any topic (e.g., "AI governance") by gathering the latest web data, searching internal knowledge bases, analyzing uploaded reports, and synthesizing expert-level sections (background, stakeholders, impact, summary) into a formatted output.

What it does

• Automates policy brief generation: Produces a multi-section policy analysis (background, stakeholder landscape, impact, executive summary) on any user-specified topic.

• Aggregates diverse sources: Combines real-time web search, internal knowledge base documents, and user-uploaded reports/statistics.

• Synthesizes expert analysis: Uses advanced LLMs to draft each section, referencing all available evidence and data.

• Delivers a ready-to-use, formatted brief: Outputs a structured, citation-ready document.

Who it’s for

• Policy analysts and researchers

• Government or public sector teams

• Think tanks and NGOs

• Anyone needing rapid, evidence-based policy analysis

Time to value

• Immediate: Enter your policy topic and upload any relevant documents—get a full, formatted policy brief in minutes.

Output

• A structured policy brief with the following sections:

  • Executive Summary (with SWOT or recommendations)

  • Policy Background

  • Stakeholder & International Landscape

  • Economic & Social Impact

• Citations and sources for all claims, drawing from web, internal docs, and uploaded files.

Common Pain Points for Policy Analysis

• Time-consuming manual research and synthesis

• Difficulty keeping up with the latest global developments

• Siloed or inaccessible internal knowledge

• Inconsistent formatting and structure

• Lack of clear, evidence-based recommendations

What This Agent Delivers

• Rapid, automated synthesis of the latest and most relevant information

• Integration of internal, external, and user-uploaded data

• Consistent, professional formatting and structure

• Transparent sourcing and citations

• Actionable insights and recommendations

Step-by-Step Build (StackAI Nodes)

Below is a breakdown of each node, what it does, and its goal in the workflow:

1) Input Node (in-0 – Policy Topic)

What it does:

• Lets the user specify the policy question or topic (e.g., "AI governance").

Goal:

• Define the focus for all downstream research and analysis.

2) Web Search Node (action-1 – Web Search)

What it does:

• Searches the web for the latest news, reports, and global context using Exa AI.

Goal:

• Bring in up-to-date, external information relevant to the policy topic.

3) Knowledge Base Node (knowledgebase-0 – Knowledge Base)

What it does:

• Searches internal government documents, previous policy briefs, and research for relevant content.

Goal:

• Surface authoritative, organization-specific insights and precedents.

4) Files Node (doc-0 – Reports and Statistics)

What it does:

• Allows users to upload reports, statistics, or white papers.

• Extracts and processes text (including OCR for scanned documents).

Goal:

• Incorporate user-supplied evidence and data into the analysis.

5) LLM Nodes (Drafting Each Section)

a) Policy Background (llm-4)

What it does:

• Summarizes the background and context of the policy issue using all gathered data.

Goal:

• Provide a concise, evidence-based overview of the issue.

Instructions

You are a policy analyst tasked with drafting the 'Policy Background' section of a policy brief. Your objective is to summarize the background and context of the policy issue based on the provided information. Focus solely on the content of the section without any preamble or formatting.



Utilize the following resources to gather relevant information:

- The policy topic provided by the user.

- Conduct a web search for the latest news, reports, and global context.

- Reference internal government documents, previous policy briefs, and research from the knowledge base.

- Incorporate any relevant reports, statistics, or white papers uploaded

Prompt

Policy Topic: {in-0}



Here is some helpful information:

<policy-data>

{action-1.results} 

{knowledgebase-0}

{doc-0}

</policy-data>



Draft the 'Policy Background' section. List your sources at the end (e.g., '- Document 1.pdf', '- www.source.com')

b) Stakeholder and International Landscape (llm-5)

What it does:

• Identifies key stakeholders and compares international approaches.

Goal:

• Map the policy landscape and highlight global best practices.

Instructions

You are a policy analyst tasked with drafting the 'Stakeholder & International Landscape' section of a policy brief. 
  Your role involves identifying key stakeholders, both domestic and international, and summarizing how other countries have addressed the specified issue. 
  Utilize the provided information effectively to create a comprehensive analysis without any preamble or formatting

Prompt

Policy Topic: {in-0}



Here is some helpful information:

<policy-data>

{action-1.results} 

{knowledgebase-0}

{doc-0}

</policy-data>



Draft the 'Stakeholder & International Landscape' section. List your sources at the end (e.g., '- Document 1.pdf', '- www.source.com')

c) Economic and Social Impact (llm-6)

What it does:

• Assesses the economic, social, and environmental impacts of policy options.

Goal:

• Analyze potential outcomes and trade-offs.

Instructions

You are a policy analyst responsible for drafting the 'Economic & Social Impact' section of a policy brief. 
  Your task is to analyze the potential economic, social, and environmental impacts of the policy options based on the provided information. 
  Focus exclusively on the content of this section without any preamble or formatting

Prompt

Policy Topic: {in-0}



Here is some helpful information:

<policy-data>

{action-1.results} 

{knowledgebase-0}

{doc-0}

</policy-data>



Draft the 'Economic & Social Impact' section. List your sources at the end (e.g., '- Document 1.pdf', '- www.source.com')

d) Executive Summary (llm-7)

What it does:

• Synthesizes all previous sections into a summary, including a SWOT analysis or key recommendations.

Goal:

• Deliver actionable insights and a high-level overview for decision-makers.

Instructions

You are a policy analyst. Your job is to draft the 'Executive Summary' section of a policy brief, including a SWOT analysis or key recommendations. 
  Use the previous sections for context. 
  Do not add any preamble or formatting, just the body of the section

Prompt

Policy Topic: {in-0}



Here are the other sections of the brief:

<memo>

{llm-4}

{llm-5}

{llm-6}

</memo>



Here is some additional information:

<data>

{action-1.results} 

</data>



Draft the 'Executive Summary' section, including a SWOT analysis or key recommendations

6) Output Node (out-0 – Policy Analysis)

What it does:

• Formats and presents the final policy brief, combining all sections into a single, structured document.

Goal:

• Provide a ready-to-use, professional policy brief for download, sharing, or further editing.