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Artificial Intelligence and the Public Sector—Applications and Challenges

Author

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  • Bernd W. Wirtz
  • Jan C. Weyerer
  • Carolin Geyer

Abstract

Advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have attracted great attention from researchers and practitioners and have opened up a broad range of beneficial opportunities for AI usage in the public sector. Against this background, there is an emerging need for a holistic understanding of the range and impact of AI-based applications and associated challenges. However, previous research considers AI applications and challenges only in isolation and fragmentarily. Given the lack of a comprehensive overview of AI-based applications and challenges for the public sector, our conceptual approach analyzes and compiles relevant insights from scientific literature to provide an integrative overview of AI applications and related challenges. Our results suggest 10 AI application areas, describing their value creation and functioning as well as specific public use cases. In addition, we identify four major dimensions of AI challenges. We finally discuss our findings, deriving implications for theory and practice and providing suggestions for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Bernd W. Wirtz & Jan C. Weyerer & Carolin Geyer, 2019. "Artificial Intelligence and the Public Sector—Applications and Challenges," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(7), pages 596-615, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:lpadxx:v:42:y:2019:i:7:p:596-615
    DOI: 10.1080/01900692.2018.1498103
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    Cited by:

    1. Shivam Gupta & Shampy Kamboj & Surajit Bag, 2023. "Role of Risks in the Development of Responsible Artificial Intelligence in the Digital Healthcare Domain," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(6), pages 2257-2274, December.
    2. Nam, Jinyoung & Jung, Yoonhyuk & Kim, Junghwan, 2024. "Understandings of the AI business ecosystem in South Korea: AI startups’ perspective," Telecommunications Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(6).
    3. Fotios Fitsilis & Anastasia Papastylianou, 2024. "Training of Greek Public Administrators in Legal Knowledge Management by Using the Legislation Editing Open Software (LEOS)," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 7927-7940, June.
    4. Araz Taeihagh, 2021. "Governance of artificial intelligence [Application of artificial intelligence for development of intelligent transport system in smart cities]," Policy and Society, Darryl S. Jarvis and M. Ramesh, vol. 40(2), pages 137-157.
    5. Oussama Najari & Cheklekbire Malainine, 2025. "Leveraging AI to Advance the Sustainable Development Goals in Morocco's Public Sector [Exploiter l'IA pour faire progresser les Objectifs de développement durable dans le secteur public marocain]," Post-Print hal-05110441, HAL.
    6. Lodefalk, Magnus & Engberg, Erik & Lidskog, Rolf & Tang, Aili, 2025. "Artificial Intelligence for Public Use," Working Papers 2025:6, Örebro University, School of Business.
    7. Ana Paula Gonzalez Torres & Nitin Sawhney, 2023. "Role of Regulatory Sandboxes and MLOps for AI-Enabled Public Sector Services," The Review of Socionetwork Strategies, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 297-318, October.
    8. Luca Grilli & Sergio Mariotti & Riccardo Marzano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and shapeshifting capitalism," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 303-318, April.
    9. El Bhilat, El Mehdi & El Jaouhari, Asmae & Hamidi, L. Saadia, 2024. "Assessing the influence of artificial intelligence on agri-food supply chain performance: the mediating effect of distribution network efficiency," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    10. Livia Sz. Oláh & Rudolf Richter & Irena Kotowska, 2023. "Introduction to the Special Collection on The new roles of women and men and implications for families and societies," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 48(29), pages 849-866.
    11. Anca Florentina Vatamanu & Mihaela Tofan, 2025. "Integrating Artificial Intelligence into Public Administration: Challenges and Vulnerabilities," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-23, April.
    12. Elena Cigu Rusu, Denis Hyams-Ssekasi, Mihaela Onofrei, Anca Florentina Vatamanu, Ana-Maria Bercu, 2023. "Innovation And Digital Transformation In Local Communities," Jean Monnet Chair EU Public Administration Integration and Resilience Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 0, pages 53-61, June.
    13. Gesualda Iodice & Magdalena Kowalska & Anna Szwajlik & Carmine Sergianni, 2025. "AI telepresence robots: redefining accessibility in cultural heritage," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 5(6), pages 1-23, June.
    14. Kiruja Annie Rodah Nyawira & Dr Mary Nyawira Mwenda, 2025. "Strategic Integration of AI-Driven Project Management Systems in Public Sector Development Projects: A Comparative Study of Emerging and Advanced Economies," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(14), pages 1174-1181, May.
    15. Esmat Zaidan & Imad Antoine Ibrahim, 2024. "AI Governance in a Complex and Rapidly Changing Regulatory Landscape: A Global Perspective," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    16. Nam, Jinyoung & Kim, Junghwan & Jung, Yoonhyuk, 2023. "Understandings of the AI business ecosystem in South Korea: AI startups' perspective," 32nd European Regional ITS Conference, Madrid 2023: Realising the digital decade in the European Union – Easier said than done? 278005, International Telecommunications Society (ITS).
    17. Liu, Min & Liu, Hong-Fei & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2024. "An empirical study on the response of the energy market to the shock from the artificial intelligence industry," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    18. Malin Rönnblom & Vanja Carlsson & Andreas Öjehag‐Pettersson, 2023. "Gender equality in Swedish AI policies. What's the problem represented to be?," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 40(5), pages 688-704, September.
    19. Agbabiaka, Olusegun & Ojo, Adegboyega & Connolly, Niall, 2025. "Requirements for trustworthy AI-enabled automated decision-making in the public sector: A systematic review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    20. John, Laura, 2022. "Rethinking digital governance - How collaborative innovation strategies advance the development of digital innovations in public organisations," Junior Management Science (JUMS), Junior Management Science e. V., vol. 7(5), pages 1400-1418.
    21. Mohammad I. Merhi, 2023. "An Assessment of the Barriers Impacting Responsible Artificial Intelligence," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 25(3), pages 1147-1160, June.
    22. Flores, Lou Norman & Moreno, Frede, 2024. "Ethical Implications and Perspectives on the Utilization of Artificial Intelligence among Graduate Students in Public Administration in Basilan Province, Philippines," MPRA Paper 122809, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 28 Nov 2024.
    23. Khalid Alshehhi & Ali Cheaitou & Hamad Rashid, 2025. "Investigating risk elements and critical success factors for AI procurement projects in the public sector: a qualitative approach based on UAE public organisations," International Journal of System Assurance Engineering and Management, Springer;The Society for Reliability, Engineering Quality and Operations Management (SREQOM),India, and Division of Operation and Maintenance, Lulea University of Technology, Sweden, vol. 16(2), pages 446-467, February.
    24. Zhou, Zhikai & Liu, Dewen & Chen, Zhongjie & Pancho, Martin, 2025. "Government adoption of generative artificial intelligence and ambidextrous innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).

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