Chapter 12: Taking stock and looking ahead - developing a science for policy research agenda on the use and uptake of AI in public sector organisations in the EU

Overview & Synopsis

This chapter intends to shape a ‘science for policy research agenda’, which calls upon scientific evidence to underpin and shape political decisions on the uptake and use of AI in and by public sector organisations - in the European Union (EU). The aim of this initiative is to stimulate research in support of policies to define and regulate the use of human-centric and trustworthy AI within the public sector and its public administrations - at all governance levels. The chapter analyses the current state of adoption of AI in public sector organisations in Europe. Combined with an overview of the most relevant policy context at the EU level and engaging with literature, the chapter identifies challenges that need to be addressed by an overarching science for policy research agenda. Following this landscaping exercise, the research agenda will focus on the concept of trustworthiness as a cross-cutting perspective and pre-requisite for regulating the lawful and safe use of AI for the public sector in the EU - in compliance with European values and digital rights. Furthermore, this research agenda proposes three topical pillars and suggests an underlying methodological approach.