AI Strategy for the Digital Government
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a term used to describe a field of study and a set of technologies that study and develop systems capable of performing tasks that are normally attributed to human intelligence. Some examples of this may be to translate a document or recognize a person by his or her face. AI also includes systems that learn to behave autonomously, such as driverless vehicles, programs that play chess or perform other activities.
Although the beginnings of AI development can be traced to the mid-twentieth century, currently, the generation and availability of large amounts of data, the evolution of techniques and algorithms, as well as the decrease in infrastructure costs increasingly efficient for the processing of this type of information, have made this technology advance very fast in recent years.
Increasingly, AI applications are becoming part of our everyday life: virtual assistants in our cell phones, algorithms in social networks that show us information in one way or another, driverless cars, programs that learn from our actions to recommend music, movies or consumer items at online stores, real-time translators, systems that detect diseases or health risks early, just to name a few.
In turn, solutions based on Artificial Intelligence have become an indispensable tool for the development and provision of digital services for citizens. Through its implementation, the digital transformation of the Public Administration can be enhanced, which requires a strategy to guide the decisions to be taken in this regard.
For the use of AI tools in the Public Administration to be successful, the strategy is to be legitimately designed and implemented; it needs to build trust and understanding, and consider the implications in the short, medium and long term. This work is to be carried out together with the citizens and different groups of stakeholders: final recipients of the tools and parties involved in the process of construction, development and use of the emerging product of the AI application.
In view of the above, the AI strategy as a tool for digital transformation is developed with the purpose of promoting and strengthening its responsible use in Public Administration.
The responsible use of AI involves four dimensions: the ethical, regulatory, technical and social dimensions, which must be present from the design to the implementation of its various applications.
The ethical dimension in Public Administration implies that the ethical framework must structure all public actions and therefore, set the guidelines for developments in AI. For its application and implementation, transparency in the actions of the Public Administration is essential. This transparency does not only imply comprehensive knowledge of the information managed, but of the strategies applied, their aims and contents. At the same time, by introducing transparency rules, the possibilities of unwanted bias and discriminations will be mitigated.
The legal dimension in Public Administration implies developments within a preexisting legal framework that establishes the rights and obligations of individuals, as well as the scope of action of public bodies. In this respect, adherence to the Human Rights standards enshrined in international instruments is essential, which ensures the balance between the rights of individuals and the limitation of the scope of state action.
The technical dimension in Public Administration implies compliance with technical and regulatory frameworks that guarantee the solvency and soundness of AI systems. This also requires constant attention to good practices, permanent review of the measures implemented and audits by impartial third parties.
The social dimension in Public Administration implies generating people oriented solutions that seek the general interest and consider the agency capacity of human beings.
These four dimensions must be present during the execution of the lines of action of the AI strategy, with a view to contributing to its responsible use for the digital transformation. Within that framework, AI generates opportunities to create public services with more quality. It works as support for decision-making processes and the design of public policies that respond in a more appropriate way to people needs. At the same time, it implies risks and threats that we must take into account when developing AI applications in the public sphere.
To take advantage of these opportunities and reduce risks and threats, an AI strategy for the Digital Government and a set of general principles were set up to provide a general framework for using Artificial Intelligence in the public sphere.
The general objective of the strategy is to promote and strengthen the responsible use of AI in Public Administration. Within that framework, four pillars that make up this strategy have been identified, each with specific objectives and lines of action.
1. AI governance in Public Administration.
2. Capacity development for AI.
3. Use and application of AI.
4. Digital citizenship and AI.