[Policy Pulse] AI Government: Redesign the System

Designing an AI Government for Sustainable Development
Through Bureaucratic Innovation and Securing Specialized Talent

Chulho Oh, Emeritus Professor, Department of Public Administration, Soongsil University

There are two possible approaches that the government can take regarding artificial intelligence (AI). One approach involves government policies aimed at fostering the industrial ecosystem, such as building AI infrastructure, nurturing talent, and supporting research and development (R&D). The other approach is to actively utilize AI in performing government functions and roles; the latter is commonly referred to as an "AI government" (AI-based government).

An AI government is a proactive government that leverages AI to make policy design and implementation, as well as the provision of administrative services, more intelligent. While e-government focused on administrative efficiency and integration, the core values of an AI government are precision and optimization. Rather than offering uniform and universal services, it enables personalized administration, tailoring services to the individual circumstances of each citizen. Furthermore, AI makes it possible to analyze and assess dispersed government resources in real time and swiftly allocate them where needed, thereby optimizing resource utilization.

The reason why discussions about AI government are important at this point is that what is needed is not merely layering new technology onto the existing government, but rather a disruptive innovation.

An AI government should not be seen as simply an advanced form of digitalization; it must begin with deep philosophical reflection on designing a government that is necessary and suitable for the future of Korean society and for the nation’s sustainable development. The core of the singularity mentioned by futurist Ray Kurzweil is the qualitative transformation of society. Similarly, an AI government must be a fundamental transformation that changes the bureaucratic government structure and its operating principles at their core in order to be sustainable.

A bureaucracy, characterized by people-based rules, procedures, and tightly compartmentalized, closed-off management, is not compatible with an open government in which AI and humans are seamlessly and closely connected. A new language and grammar for government are needed, and now is the right time to prepare for the singularity of the government of the future.

One aspect that deserves particular attention is the way work is conducted to suit an AI environment. If the actual administrative service workspaces?planning, execution, and communication, in other words, the so-called back office?do not change, then any new technology applied will merely amount to a change in appearance. In short, government innovation means a change in the way work is done, and the solution must be found in breaking down siloed ministries and enabling collaboration through real-time networking.

However, questions remain. Can an AI government truly take root within a rigid bureaucratic culture?

Let us reflect on President Lee Jaemyung’s recent remarks at a senior secretary meeting, where he emphasized the need to change the government’s organizational culture. Considering that the previous administration renamed e-government as digital government, yet remains trapped in the outdated culture of bureaucracy, there is a risk that the AI government could follow the same path.

Finally, it is time to stop mass-producing generic administrative officials. What is truly needed in an AI government are talents with highly specialized expertise. Personnel lacking deep specialization in specific fields such as data analysis, algorithm design, and AI ethics will find it difficult to become the core driving force of an AI government.

We do not have the luxury of time to make the mistake of putting the cart before the horse by being dazzled by technology. We already have the potential to elevate innovation to a global standard. What matters now is the will and creativity to implement it. This is the opportunity to create a new paradigm?designing and realizing a world-class AI government in which people and AI work together.