AI in the Government Sector: Examining the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in China

Saturday - July 29 2023, 12:56 UTC - 1 year ago

China is exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving their government operations and services. J. Ramon Gil-Garcia and Yi Long of the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law have analyzed the AI processes currently utilized in China to manage government services, and whether other forms of automation could be better options for ensuring transparency. The authors suggest considering hybrid approaches, proposing a classification of services by considering the extent of automation and process transparency needed.

Many countries are exploring the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve their operations and services, and China is no exception. Still, not all AI techniques are suitable for every government service or process, considering that transparency and accountability remain top concerns in the public sector.In a new article published in the International Journal of Electronic Government Research (IJEGR), Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany) Director J .

Ramon Gil-Garcia and Professor Yi Long of the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law analyze the AI processes currently utilized in China to manage government services, and whether other forms of automation could be better options for ensuring transparency."There are many types of AI techniques and applications, each with its own advantages and disadvantages," said Gil-Garcia.In China, for instance, the rapidly spreading initiative "Smart Examination and Approval" (SEA) is an interesting government innovation based on AI .

SEA was first promoted by Guangxi Province in 2017 and has some distinguishing features, such as applying for a government service (e.g., starting a business) through an online application system, automatic examination and approval by the system using pre-coded rules, and obtaining results immediately."While SEA provides considerable benefits, the application of SEA normally requires a significant IT investment and large volumes of individual data," continued Gil-Garcia, who also serves as a professor of Public Administration & Policy and International Affairs at the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy .

"It's important to understand the potential for SEA, but also the challenges governments face when using AI innovations compared to more traditional forms of service delivery."Based on their research, Gil-Garcia and Yi argue that governments could consider hybrid approaches."You could combine, for example, machine learning for verification processes and expert systems—which are more easily auditable—to make final decisions on individual cases," said Gil-Garcia .

The authors also propose a classification of services by considering the extent of automation and process transparency needed for different types of services."This isn't unique to China since governments from around the world are increasingly using AI-based systems and not enough is known about their potential benefits and challenges for government and society," added Gil-Garcia.In the traditional service-delivery model, there are disadvantages for residents because of the need to physically transfer application materials by visiting one agency after another .

During this process, individuals can spend a lot of time and money completing multiple tasks in different locations. This is particularly problematic when the applicant must travel from one city to another—many of which are in remote areas—and back again.In some instances, government employees may demand bribes from the applicants to process their paperwork. However, traditional face-to-face services offer also some advantages in that results are perceived by the customer as more reliable and visible to the public .

Also, the applicants can get assistance from employees as the customers ask for clarification of the requirements and obtain relevant information from the public servants.