How and where is artificial intelligence in the public sector going? A literature review and research agenda

Sousa, Weslei Gomes de; Melo, Elis Regina Pereira de; Bermejo, Paulo Henrique de Souza; Gomes, Adalmir de Oliveira

doi:10.1016/j.giq.2019.07.004

Cited by 283 publications

(145 citation statements)

References 96 publications

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“…Governments have long been using computer algorithms to assist government officials make decisions and increasingly to automate those decisions without human involvement. To date, the use of AI in government decision making is still limited (Engstrom et al, 2020;De Sousa et al, 2019;Sun & Medaglia, 2019), though similar systems based on sophisticated statistical analyses are widely deployed. Indeed, is it sometimes hard to know if a system is a true AI.…”

Section: Automated Decision-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving public services using artificial intelligence: possibilities, pitfalls, governance

Henman

2020

Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration

136

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Artificial intelligence arising from the use of machine learning is rapidly being developed and deployed by governments to enhance operations, public services, and compliance and security activities. This article reviews how artificial intelligence is being used in public sector for automated decision making, for chatbots to provide information and advice, and for public safety and security. It then outlines four public administration challenges to deploying artificial intelligence in public administration: accuracy, bias and discrimination; legality, due process and administrative justice; responsibility, accountability, transparency and explainability; and power, compliance and control. The article outlines technological and governance innovations that are being developed to address these challenges.

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Section: Automated Decision-makingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Improving public services using artificial intelligence: possibilities, pitfalls, governance

Henman

2020

Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration

136

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“…However, the vast majority of research focuses on either technical specifics or use by the private sector. In fact, a recent literature review of nearly 1 700 AI studies found that only 59 (3.5%) focused on the use of AI in the public sector (Gomes de Sousa et al, 2019).…”

Section: Ai and The Public Sectormentioning

confidence: 99%

Hello, World

Berryhill¹,

Heang²,

Clogher³

et al. 2019

OECD Working Papers on Public Governance

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an area of research and technology application that can have a significant impact on public policies and services in many ways. In just a few years, it is expected that the potential will exist to free up nearly one-third of public servants' time, allowing them to shift from mundane tasks to high-value work. Governments can also use AI to design better policies and make better decisions, improve communication and engagement with citizens and residents, and improve the speed and quality of public services. While the potential benefits of AI are significant, attaining them is not an easy task. Government use of AI trails that of the private sector; the field is complex and has a steep learning curve; and the purpose of, and context within, government are unique and present a number of challenges.

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“…The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public organizations has the potential to push forward the anticorruption agenda through the use of new methods of detection, prevention and analysis of cybercrimes, fraud and corruption (Chen et al, 2004;Salovaara, 2012;Valle-Cruz & Sandoval-Almazan, 2018). Governments of all levels should utilize digital innovations to respond to technological changes (Hinings, Gegenhuber & Greenwood, 2018;Sousa, Melo, Bermejo, Farias & Gomes, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Those publications are predominantly linked to the private sector, with a few exceptions portraying the government sector (see Braun & Davis, 2003;Mikhaylov, Esteve & Campion, 2018), and are mostly conceptual, as in Kokina and Davenport (2017), Hinings, Gegenhuber and Greenwood (2018) and Sousa et al (2019), which provide an overview of the appearance of Artificial Intelligence in accounting and auditing without empirical data. Although several scholars continue to study the introduction and implementation of AI-based systems in the private and the public sector from different theoretical perspectives, there has been a paucity of research concerning how these technological artifacts get implemented, especially in the governmental context.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Artificial Ladies against corruption: searching for legitimacy at the Brazilian Supreme Audit Institution

Neves¹,

Silva²,

Carvalho³

2019

Rev. contab. organ.

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31This study depicts the search for legitimacy by four information technology artifacts in helping auditors in the surveillance against fraud and corruption by the Brazilian Supreme Audit Institution (TCU). ALICE, ADELE, MONICA, and SOFIA are Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems proposed to aid auditing processes in the public sector. A web-based survey has been used to gather the responses from 60 auditors across Brazil and semi-structured interviews with the Chief Data Officer, three IT Developers and five TCU Audit Managers selected by purposive sampling. The research finds that the use of AI-based systems is low among auditors at the TCU due to the perceived limited benefit. While some respondents recognized the advantages of the AI-based systems, they are put off by the weak theorization and diffusion regarding the meaning and the use of AI-based systems within the organization; they showed a priority for using traditional auditing methods instead of digital innovation, restricting the potential of anticorruption control by technological artifacts. Revista de Contabilidade Abstract Revista de Contabilidade e OrganizaçõesOur findings contribute to governmental agencies, researchers, and practitioners by developing and nurturing digital literacy within organizations, supporting educational diffusion and local developments by strengthening and utilizing cross-organizational networks to improve competencies of organizations and practitioners in the rapidly developing field of digital innovations.

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How and where is artificial intelligence in the public sector going? A literature review and research agenda

Cited by 283 publications

References 96 publications

Improving public services using artificial intelligence: possibilities, pitfalls, governance

Improving public services using artificial intelligence: possibilities, pitfalls, governance

Hello, World

Artificial Ladies against corruption: searching for legitimacy at the Brazilian Supreme Audit Institution

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