REVOLUTIONIZING PUBLIC GOVERNANCE WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: PATHWAYS TO ENHANCED PUBLIC VALUE (BI-VB/25-27-014)
Head of the research group: prof. dr. Aleksander Aristovnik
The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into public governance represents a transformative shift towards more efficient and responsive government operations. By leveraging AI technologies, public agencies can enhance decision-making processes, streamline service delivery, and foster greater transparency and citizen engagement. This paper examines the multifaceted impact of AI on public governance and explores strategies to maximize public value through its adoption. It highlights the critical role of AI in providing real-time data analytics, which aids policymakers in making informed decisions swiftly and accurately. Additionally, AI-driven automation can significantly reduce processing times and human error in public services, enhancing overall efficiency and user satisfaction.
However, the deployment of AI in public governance also brings forth significant challenges, particularly concerning ethical considerations like data privacy and the transparency of algorithmic decisions. These issues are crucial for maintaining public trust and ensuring that the benefits of AI technologies are realized without infringing on individual rights or freedoms. Therefore, this paper advocates for the development of robust policy frameworks that address these ethical concerns and support the sustainable integration of AI. Such policies should ensure that AI applications are transparent, accountable, and inclusive, thus reinforcing public confidence in government operations and promoting an inclusive approach to governance.
By addressing both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI, this research underscores the importance of a balanced approach that prioritizes ethical considerations while harnessing AI’s potential to improve public governance. The aim is to establish a governance model that not only enhances operational efficiencies but also actively engages and serves the community, thereby increasing public value and trust in government initiatives.
Duration (from/to):
from 1. 1. 2025 to 31. 12. 2026
Contracting Authority:
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Project Partner:
Ulster University
Financing:

Members of the research group:
Members of the research group in the partner country:
dr. Karl O’Connor
dr. Paul Carmichael
dr. Ann-Marie Gray
dr. Michele Gazzola
dr. Diana Toimbek
Objectives of bilateral cooperation activities
The bilateral cooperation activity aims to help strengthen the knowledge of policy makers in Slovenia and the UK. In addition, the bilateral cooperation activity includes important elements of scalability, as the results will provide a framework for further empirical studies that are transferable to an international context. The added value of the cooperation between researchers from Slovenia and the UK is the exchange of specific knowledge and experience.
The main objectives of the collaboration are:
1) to combine the theoretical and empirical perspectives of the research topic presented;
2) to establish a basis for future collaborative research projects;
3) to strengthen/include cooperation between young and experienced researchers.
All the researchers involved in this bilateral cooperation activity are experts in their fields. The proposed research will contribute to the general literature with new theoretical and empirical evidence in a systematic and comprehensive way. The empirical analysis will be embedded in an in-depth theoretical and methodological background. The results of this research will contribute to academic and practical knowledge and will help researchers and practitioners in the field to conduct research in theory and practice. Complementarity will be exercised by combining theoretical and empirical questions. In addition, the bilateral cooperation activity is a good opportunity to involve young researchers in international cooperation, as both partners involve selected young PhD students or postdoctoral researchers in the research work. Students from both institutions will also benefit as both leaders of the bilateral cooperation activity plan to present the main results of the research during their guest lectures at the partner institutions. Joint presentations at selected international conferences are foreseen. The outcome of the cooperation should also be visible in the form of scientific articles published in some highly indexed (ISI) journals.