Administrative burden in digital public service delivery: The social infrastructure of library programs for e‐inclusion

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is arguably one of the most powerful and disruptive technologies of our times which may pose challenges as well as opportunities to contemporary political organizations. Studying AI from a lens of perceived uncertainty, this article studies the policy response of the European Commission toward this fast‐paced emerging technology. By empirically focusing on the Commission's policy process from start to end, from initial communication to concrete proposal, the article shows how different types of narratives are used to construct the new policy area of AI policy. A novel theoretical framework is constructed building on a combination of narrative organizational studies and narrative policy studies, displaying how narratives play a key role in organizational sensemaking, agency construction and anchoring. The paper finds that the Commission broadly makes sense of AI technologies with a future‐oriented discourse, establishes agency to existing and new forms of political organizing and anchors the policy response within the overarching frame of the EU single market policy. The main contribution of the paper is that it shows how political organizations settles uncertainty through narratives and sketches a way forward through establishing policy goals and anchoring them within pre‐existing lines of political mobilization.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Narrative dynamics in European Commission AI policy—Sensemaking, agency construction, and anchoring

Malmborg

2022

“…While such specialized reports provide an opportunity to go into depth in equality and AI issues, they can also contribute to perception of these topics as niche issues, which are primarily of concern for women and minorities and are thus marginal to overall AI policy and governance agenda. Rather than treating intersectional bias as a siloed issue, it is fruitful to see it as a unique opportunity to fundamentally rethink major problems and concerns of AI governance and policy discussed in this special issue such as creating new social divides and prioritizing economic issues over social and political ones (e.g., Giest & Samuels, 2022; Kim, 2023; Rönnblom et al, 2023; Schiff, 2023). Intersectional and feminist approaches to AI can help to radically reimagine AI governance, policy, power and politics in more inclusive and participatory ways bringing in diverse groups, perspectives and voices.…”

Section: Conclusion: Technical and Social Framings Of Bias In Aimentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By analyzing framing of bias in AI policy, we contribute to other articles in this special issue which focus on ideational dimension of policy and emerging themes in AI policy documents around the world (af Malmborg, 2022; Kim, 2023; Schiff, 2023). In particular, our contribution is part of a discussion about how AI policy can disadvantage certain groups in society (Giest & Samuels, 2022) and neglects the role of existing power relations (Rönnblom et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Power and politics in framing bias in Artificial Intelligence policy

Ulnicane

Aden

2023

Bias is a key issue in expert and public discussions about Artificial Intelligence (AI). While some hope that AI will help to eliminate human bias, others are concerned that AI will exacerbate it. To highlight political and power aspects of bias in AI, this contribution examines so far largely overlooked topic of framing of bias in AI policy. Among diverse approaches of diagnosing problems and suggesting prescriptions, we can distinguish two stylized framings of bias in AI policy—one more technical, another more social. Powerful technical framing suggests that AI can be a solution to human bias and can help to detect and eliminate it. It is challenged by an alternative social framing, which emphasizes the importance of social contexts, balance of power and structural inequalities. Technological frame sees simple technological fix as a way to deal with bias in AI. For the social frame, we suggest to approach bias in AI as a complex wicked problem, for which a broader strategy is needed involving diverse stakeholders and actions. The social framing of bias in AI considerably expands the legitimate understanding of bias and the scope of potential actions beyond technological fix. We argue that, in the context of AI policy, intersectional bias should not be perceived as a niche issue but rather be seen as a key to radically reimagine AI governance, power and politics in more participatory and inclusive ways.

“…Contributions in this special issue focus on politics and policy at different levels including local (Giest & Samuels, 2023), local and national (Chou & Gomes, 2023), national (Kim, 2023;Rönnblom et al, 2023;Schiff, 2023), regional (af Malmborg, 2023, global (Erkkilä, 2023;von Ingersleben-Seip, 2023) and a mix of different levels (Ulnicane & Aden, 2023). They illustrate complex relationships between unique local and national contexts and overarching regional and global developments.…”

Section: Local National Regional and Global Dynamicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Politics and policy of Artificial Intelligence

Ulnicane,

Erkkilä

2023

While recent discussions about Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of the most powerful technologies of our times tend to portray it as a predominantly technical issue, it also has major social, political and cultural implications. So far these have been mostly studied from ethical, legal and economic perspectives, while politics and policy have received less attention. To address this gap, this special issue brings together nine research articles to advance the studies of politics and policy of AI by identifying emerging themes and setting out future research agenda. Diverse but complementary contributions in this special issue speak to five overarching themes: understanding the AI as co‐shaped by technology and politics; highlighting the role of ideas in AI politics and policy; examining the distribution of power; interrogating the relationship between novel technology and continuity in politics and policy; and exploring interactions among developments at local, national, regional and global levels. This special issue demonstrates that AI policy is not an apolitical field that can be dealt with just by relying on knowledge and expertise but requires an open debate among alternative views, ideas, values and interests.