Artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise in public administrations in Switzerland, with applications as varied as chatbots, predictive policing and student dispatching. While AI improves efficiency, it also raises ethical issues, particularly in terms of transparency, accountability and fairness.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is gradually gaining ground in public administrations in Switzerland and elsewhere, with applications ranging from chatbots to manage social insurance claims, to predictive policing and school composition adjustment. These technologies present major challenges for governments and the general public.
For example, in 2019, researchers tested an algorithm to allocate pupils in Zurich schools in order to combat ghettoization and reduce social disparities. This project was not intended to automate the tasks of civil servants, but to improve equal opportunities for pupils.
Public administrations see AI as a means of improving the efficiency of their processes. AI is particularly well suited to repetitive cognitive tasks, enabling governments to make complex decisions in a constantly changing environment. Citizens, for their part, are generally open to the idea of AI making important decisions, particularly in areas such as road safety, health and personal finance.
However, this adoption raises ethical and societal questions. Incidents such as the controversial use of fraud detection software in the Netherlands or the adjustment of exam results in the UK by an algorithm have highlighted the risks involved in using AI in sensitive areas. Transparency, explicability and human control are crucial elements in ensuring that AI is used responsibly.
Public administrations in Switzerland and Europe are investing heavily in training their civil servants and developing national AI strategies. However, the use of AI in public management requires careful consideration of its impacts on equity and citizens' rights.
Source : ICTjournal
