Introduction to the Minitrack on AI in Government

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming the public sector, driven by technological advancements and the pressing need to address economic constraints. As government agencies strive to enhance service delivery with limited resources, AI has emerged as a pivotal tool, offering increased efficiency, improved decision-making, and superior data analysis capabilities. However, the rise of AI also introduces significant challenges, notably the lack of transparency and accountability inherent in some AI systems, often referred to as “black boxes.” These issues underscore the critical need to design ethical AI solutions that prioritize transparency, fairness, and accountability. This minitrack, part of the Digital Government Track at HICSS, explores the present and future applications of AI in the public sector, highlighting its advantages, complexities, and the imperative for robust governance and oversight. Featuring three accepted papers, the minitrack provides diverse insights-ranging from examining the design principles necessary to foster openness and transparency in generative AI platforms, to reviewing AI implementation in digital government and offering avenues for future research. Collectively, these contributions illuminate the multifaceted research landscape of AI in government, providing a comprehensive understanding of its current state and future direction.