Title: The role of artificial intelligence in transforming public administration: Comparative perspectives from Slovenia and the United States of America (BI-US/24-26-045)
Head of the research group: izr. prof. dr. Tina Jukić (from 1. 7. 2024 to 30. 6. 2026)
Harnessing the potentials of artificial intelligence in times of constant social, economic, and political instabilities enables public administrations worldwide to achieve greater efficiency and adapt services to citizens’ demands. By intertwining technological innovations with democratic regulatory frameworks, administrative bodies utilize artificial intelligence for automated administrative decision-making, processing big data, detecting systemic abuses, and developing citizen-centric services. All of these contribute to increased efficiency, integrity, and accountability of authorities, as well as fairer redistribution of public resources. In addition to fostering more intense citizen participation in shaping public policies, the private sector also benefits from this, as artificial intelligence facilitates easier and more efficient communication with public services, thereby eliminating administrative burdens, ensuring a more competitive economic environment, and contributing to greater corporate social responsibility. Despite its numerous advantages and opportunities, artificial intelligence also brings risks and pitfalls, resulting not only in abuses but also in negative public perceptions and consequent in distrust inf artificial intelligence-supported systems. The lack of research on the potential of artificial intelligence to transform public administration towards higher quality, more efficient, trustworthy, and citizen-centered public services necessitate an analysis of practical applications of artificial intelligence in various administrative systems worldwide, both in terms of policy formulation and policy implementation, including Slovenia and the United States of America. This analysis aims to understand the outcomes of introducing artificial intelligence solutions into administrative systems that are more responsive, sustainable, resilient, and inclusive in the context of shaping transformative strategies.
The main objective of the research is to examine the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in the public administrations of Slovenia and the United States of America from a comparative perspective, focusing on sustainable, efficient, citizen-centered, and technologically supported public administration. The research will primarily focus on substantial practical examples of artificial intelligence solutions in public administrations (automated administrative decision-making, big data processing, personalized administrative services, digital by default, the once-only principle, virtual assistants, predictive models, risk assessment processes, reducing administrative burdens for both parties and civil servants in procedures, dispute resolution,ensuring information integrity, and integration of various public administration information systems, etc.) and the results of their implementation towards sustainable and digitized publicadministration. Data for the research will be obtained from various sources, and mixed research methods typical for public administration will be engaged, involving intertwining quantitativeand qualitative approaches. The analyses will employ various variables measuring the degree of implementation of good governance principles in public administration as defined by theOECD/Sigma, namely accountability, transparency, rule of law, effectiveness and efficiency, consensus orientation, participation, fairness and inclusiveness, and responsiveness. Theanalyses will focus on examining artificial intelligence both at the institutional level of policy formulation and at the instrumental level of its implementation in concrete administrativepractice.
The project tries to help strengthen the knowledge of policymakers in Slovenia and the United States of America. Moreover, the project embeds the important elements of scalability, as theresults will provide a framework for further empirical studies that are transferable to the international context. The exchange of specific knowledge and experience represents the added valueof the collaboration between researchers from Slovenia and the United States of America. The main aims of collaboration are the following: 1) to combine the theoretical and empiricalperspective of the presented research topic; 2) to establish a basis for future collaboration in research projects; and 3) to enhance/include collaboration between young scholars andexperienced researchers. All researchers involved in this project are experts in their corresponding fields. The proposed research will contribute systematically and comprehensively to thegeneral literature with new theoretical and empirical evidence. The empirical analysis will be embedded into a profound theoretical and methodological background. The results of thisresearch will contribute to academic and practical knowledge and will be helpful to researchers and practitioners in this field when exploring the further implications in both theory andpractice. Joint contributions are planned for selected international conferences. The outcome of the cooperation is also planned to be visible in the form of scientific papers published insome highly indexed (ISI) journals.
Duration (from/to):
from 1. 7. 2024 to 30. 6. 2026
Contracting Authority:
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Project Partner:
University at Albany, SUNY, Rockefeller College
Financing:

Memebers of the research group:
izr. prof. dr. Tina Jukić (vodja)
prof. dr. Aleksander Aristovnik
Members of the research group in the partner country:
prof. dr. Luis Felipe Luna-Reyes
prof. dr. J. Ramon Gil-Garcia
izr. prof. dr. Mila Gasco-Hernandez
doc. dr. Kayla N. Schwoerer
Objectives of bilateral cooperation activities
The main objectives of the cooperation are:
1) to combine the theoretical and empirical perspectives of the presented research topic;
2) to establish a basis for future cooperation on research projects; and
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 their 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 contributions to selected international conferences are foreseen. The outcome of the collaboration should also be visible in the form of scientific articles published in some highly indexed (ISI) journals.