AI in Government Lab

The Lab is part of the Center for Technology in Government at the University at Albany (CTG UAlbany) and focuses on the study and application of artificial intelligence in government. The work of the lab contributes to UAlbany’s AI Plus initiative.

Rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) research and development are driving the integration of AI into the decision-making and operational systems of governments at all levels and around the world. As government leaders and managers ready themselves to transform their agencies through digital strategies and make enterprise technological investment decisions, they must consider that most new systems include some form of AI. Therefore, it is essential that government leaders understand AI and its potential for revolutionizing government services and decision-making.

Conceptualizing AI as part of a larger set of cognitive computing systems—systems that can learn from data and interact with humans to assist public employees—can be traced back to the early 1950s. However, the past two decades have produced significant advances in enabling technologies, such as cloud computing and more recently, several key AI technologies such as deep learning and reinforcement learning have reached their tipping point toward practical applications. As a result of such advances, a range of AI applications including chatbots, predictive analytical systems, and automated decision-making systems, are increasingly used by government.

The AI in Government Lab at the Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany (CTG UAlbany) was created to highlight our body of work dedicated to the study and application of artificial intelligence in the public sector. Our activities include academic and applied research projects, publications, presentations, and participation in committees, boards, and taskforces related to the use of AI in the public sector.

Projects

Empowering Communities: Public Libraries, Inclusive Civic Engagement and Artificial Intelligence 2023-Present

CTG UAlbany was awarded a three-year $637,470 grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to examine how libraries can empower communities to better understand AI and ensure its ethical design and application. 


Sensor enabled AI models for Public Infrastructure and Asset Management 2019-Present

CTG UAlbany was awarded a SUNY Technology Accelerator Fund grant to continue development of the Community Asset Tracker (CAT). The CAT uses a mobile Internet of Things sensor network to provide near real-time identification and notification of safety or other significant issues with government-owned infrastructure and properties. 


Voter Registration Visualization and Pattern Analysis Demonstration Prototype Project 2019-2020

CTG UAlbany and the New York State Board of Elections (NYSBOE) partnered to enhance the Board’s current utility of its data through the development of visualizations and anomaly detection demonstration prototypes. 


Publications

Zong-Xian Huang, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Mila Gascó-Hernandez. (2024). Exploring the Complexity of AI Applications in the Public Sector: The Interplay of Visibility, Autonomy, and Self-Learning. In proceedings of Ongoing Research, Practitioners, Posters, Workshops, and Projects of the International Conference EGOV-CeDEM-ePart 2024. Ghent University and KU Leuven, Ghent/Leuven, Belgium, September 1-5, 2024.

Based on the analysis of four distinct AI cases across diverse U.S. federal agencies, this ongoing research paper aims to uncover some of the opportunities and challenges posed by AI and specifically self-learning as one of its main features. Our preliminary results underscore the necessity of contextual analysis in deploying AI systems, thereby contributing to previous research on different characteristics and types of AI


J Ignacio Criado, Rodrigo Sandoval-Almazán, and J Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2024). Artificial intelligence and public administration: Understanding actors, governance, and policy from micro, meso, and macro perspectives. Public Policy and Administration, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/09520767241272921

This article debates the need for an analytical framework of AI in the public sector based on the three levels of public administration: macro, meso, and micro. Also, it includes a review of the state-of-the-art in the field using the articles presented in the special issue on Artificial Intelligence and Public Administration: Actors, Governance, and Policy.  


Tzuhao Chen and Mila Gasco-Hernandez. (2024). Uncovering the Results of AI Chatbot Use in the Public Sector: Evidence from US State Governments. Public Performance & Management Review, 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1080/15309576.2024.2389864

This empirical study explores how chatbots influence government operations and their relationship with citizens. Theauthors conducted in-depth interviews with officials and employees from twenty-two state agencies in the United States. Leveraging insights from public sector innovation and digital transformation literature, the study reveals various process- and product-related outputs and outcomes within organizations and in government-citizen interactions stemming from chatbot use.


Zong-Xian Huang, Aryamala Prasad, Mila Gasco Hernandez, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Femi Adelakun, and Brooks Rainwater. (2024). Empowering Communities: Public Libraries, Inclusive Civic Engagement and Artificial Intelligence A US-Based Current Practices Report. The Research Foundation for the State University of New York.

This report is the result of our first research activity aimed at identifying and assessing the role of public libraries in raising awareness about AI and fostering inclusive civic engagement in AI initiatives through a review of publicly available documents and public libraries’ websites. Accordingly, the report offers an overview of the current AI-related programs and services in public libraries across the United States. It delineates the purpose and diversity of AI initiatives undertaken by these libraries, showcasing the breadth of programs offered and their intended objectives. 


Tzuhao Chen, Mila Gascó-Hernández, and Marc Esteve. (2024). The Adoption and Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots in Public Organizations: Evidence from U.S. State Governments. The American Review of Public Administration, 54(3), 255–270.

This article explores what determinants enable or hinder the adoption and implementation in US state agencies. It therefore critically distinguishes between two stages of technology deployment in government organizations. 


David Valle-Cruz, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, and Rodrigo Sandoval-Almazan. (2024). Artificial Intelligence Algorithms and Applications in the Public Sector: A Systematic Literature Review Based on the PRISMA Approach. In Yannis Charalabidis, Rony Medaglia, and Colin Van Noordt (Eds.), Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence (pp. 8–26). Edward Elgar Publishing.

This chapter lists several artificial intelligence techniques and applications used in the public sector and also provides practical lessons. It concludes with a few remarks and suggests ideas for future research on artificial intelligence algorithms and applications in the public sector. 


David Valle-Cruz, Rigoberto García-Contreras, and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2023). Exploring the Negative Impacts of Artificial Intelligence in Government: The Dark Side of Intelligent Algorithms and Cognitive Machines. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 00208523231187051.

This research proposes a framework for the negative impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) in government by classifying 14 topics of its dark side into five socio technical categories. The framework is based on a systematic literature review and highlights that the dark side is predominantly driven by political, legal, and institutional aspects, but it is also influenced by data and technology. 


Rony Medaglia, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, and Theresa A. Pardo. (2023). Artificial Intelligence in Government: Taking Stock and Moving Forward. Social Science Computer Review, 41(1), 123–140.

This article, introducing a Special Issue on Artificial Intelligence in Government published in the Social Science Computer Review, presents an overview of some of the main policy initiatives across the world in relation to AI in government and discusses the state of the art of existing research. 


Zong-Xian Huang, Meghan E. Cook, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, and Theresa A. Pardo. (2023). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Public Managers: Key Questions and Recommended Actions. Center for Technology in Government, UAlbany.

This Primer is a curated mix of perspectives designed to provide government leaders and managers with a foundation on AI as well as some recommended actions they can take now. 


Ines Mergel, Helen Dickinson, Jari Stenvall, and Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023). Implementing AI in the Public Sector. Public Management Review, 1–13.

This special issue focuses on actual implementation approaches or challenges that public managers are facing while they fulfill new policy that asks for the implementation of AI in public administrations. 


Yi Long and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2023). Understanding the Extent of Automation and Process Transparency Appropriate for Public Services: AI in Chinese Local Governments. International Journal of Electronic Government Research, 19(1), 1–20.

This paper analyzes the smart examination and approval (SEA) process use in China and explores how different forms of automation could be better options for certain services or specific processes within services, considering their level of transparency as an important characteristic. In this context, automation via expert systems (ES) is still a vital complement or even an alternative to AI techniques, because they can be more easily audited for potential biases. 


David Valle-Cruz, Vanessa Fernandez-Cortez, and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2022). From E-Budgeting to Smart Budgeting: Exploring the Potential of Artificial Intelligence in Government Decision-Making for Resource Allocation. Government Information Quarterly, 39(2), 101644.

This study attempts to contribute to this gap in our existing knowledge by answering the following research question: To what extent can artificial intelligence techniques help distribute public spending to increase GDP, decrease inflation and reduce the Gini index?  Some technical aspects of the expenditure allocation process could be improved with the help of these kinds of techniques. 


Averill Campion, Mila Gascó-Hernández, Slava Mikhaylov Jankin, and Marc Esteve. (2022). Overcoming the Challenges of Collaboratively Adopting Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector. Social Science Computer Review, 40(2), 462–477.

By using a case study that involves a large research university in England and two different county councils in a multiyear collaborative project around AI, we study the challenges that interorganizational collaborations face in adopting AI tools and implementing organizational routines to address them.  


Averill Campion, Mila Gascó-Hernández, Slava Mikhaylov Jankin, and Marc Esteve. (2020). Managing Artificial Intelligence Deployment in the Public Sector. Computer, 53(10), 28–37.

There is a scarcity of empirical evidence surrounding the challenges and approaches to artificial intelligence deployment. Using data analytics, our study moves from speculation to gathering evidence. Our findings show that most challenges arise during implementation and relate to skills, culture, and resistance to share information driven by data challenges.  


J. Ignacio Criado and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2019). Creating Public Value Through Smart Technologies and Strategies: From Digital Services to Artificial Intelligence and Beyond. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 32(5), 438–450.

This paper introduces the special issue about the generation of public value through smart technologies and strategies. The key argument is that smart technologies have the potential to foster co-creation of public services and the generation of public value in management processes, based on the collaborative, social and horizontal nature of these smart technologies.  


Conferences

AI and Libraries Mini-Conference 2024

Aryamala Prasad, Zong-Xian Huang, Mila Gascó-Hernández, and J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2024, March 21). Exploring AI in Public Libraries: Programs for Communities [Conference Presentation]. AI and Libraries Mini-Conference, Virtual.  


Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Annual Conference 2023

Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023, October 11-13). Teaching Digital Governance from a Comparative Perspective [Conference Presentation]. Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.  


International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM) Annual Conference 2023

Tzuhao Chen and Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023, April 3-5). The Perceived Impact of Using Artificial Intelligence Chatbots in Public Organizations: Insights from US State Governments [Conference Presentation]. XXVII Annual Conference of the International Research Society for Public Management (IRSPM), Budapest, Hungary.  


22nd Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o) 2021

Yongjin Choi, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, Oguz Aranay, Brian Burke, and Derek Werthmuller. (2021). Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Evidence-Based Decision Making in Government: Random Forest and Deep Neural Network Classification for Predicting Harmful Algal Blooms in New York State. In Jooho Lee, Gabriela Viale Pereira, and Sungsoo Hwang (Eds.), Proceedings of the 22nd Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (DG.O 2021) (pp. 27–37). Association for Computing Machinery.


22nd Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o) 2021

Meghan E. Cook and Jeffrey Baez. (2021). Informing a Statewide Investment: The NYS Voter Registration Data Pattern Detection Prototype Project. In Jooho Lee, Gabriela Viale Pereira, and Sungsoo Hwang (Eds.), Proceedings of the 22nd Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (DG.O 2021) (pp. 60–66). Association for Computing Machinery.


21st Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o) 2020

David Valle-Cruz, J. Ramon Gil-Garcia, and Vanessa Fernandez-Cortez. (2020). Towards Smarter Public Budgeting? Understanding the Potential of Artificial Intelligence Techniques to Support Decision Making in Government. In Seok-Jin Eom and Jooho Lee (Eds.), 21st Annual International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o 2020) (pp. 232–242). Association for Computing Machinery.


Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Annual Conference 2019

Ahn Michael, Jesse Lecy, Luis F. Luna-Reyes, Yu-Che Chen, and Stuart Bretschneider. (2019, October 16-19). Artificial Intelligence and Big Data: An Agenda for Public Affairs Research and Education [Conference Presentation]. Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA.  


Invited Talks

Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2024, October 4). Adoption and implementation of AI in public organizations: Drivers and determinants of success. [Keynote Speaker]. 2024 International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV), Pretoria, South Africa.


Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2024, June 5). Digital Dialogues: Exploring the Intersection of Libraries and AI. [Invited Panelist]. Capital District Library Council’s Digital Dialogues: Exploring the Intersection of Libraries and AI Webinar, Virtual. 


Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2024, March 14). Foundations in AI: A Conversation between Academia and Government [Invited Presenter]. New York State Academy for Public Administration (SAPA) Webinar: Foundations in AI, Virtual. 


Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023, November 7-9). Fighting Urban Inequity in Small and Mid-Sized Cities through Artificial Intelligence [Invited Presenter]. Smart City Expo World Congress 2023, Barcelona, Spain. 


Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023, October 10). AI Use in Government Organizations in Europe and the United States [Invited Presenter]. Transatlantic Dialogues on the Governance of Public Services. National Congress on Innovation and Public Services, Madrid, Spain.   


J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2023, November 1). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Definitions, Benefits, and Negative Consequences [Invited Presenter]. AI in Evaluation Workshop. Center for Human Services Research, University at Albany, State University of New York, Virtual. 


J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2023, October 16). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Promises and Limitations from a Multidimensional Perspective [Invited Presenter]. Inaugural SUNY AI Symposium. The Office of the Provost, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY. 


J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2023, September 22). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Promises and Limitations from a Multidimensional Perspective [Invited Presenter]. Roundtable on Efforts Related to the Workplace and Artificial Intelligence and Decision Assistance Tech, Executive Board, Division 357 (ITS), Public Employees Federation, Albany, NY. 


J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2022, September 12-14). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Promises, Challenges and Implications [Keynote Speaker]. 1st Innovation and Smart Government Conference (ISGov). Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas, Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Mexico y Laboratorio de Innovacion Publica e Inteligencia Artificial (Tampico, Tamaulipas, Mexico), Virtual. 


J. Ramon Gil-Garcia. (2022, May 31). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Promises, Challenges and Implications (In Spanish) [Keynote Speaker]. Conferencias Magistrales INFOTEC 2022-2023: Transformación Digital e Innovación Pública. Centro de Investigacion e Innovacion en Tecnologias de la Informacion y Comunicacion, Mexico City, Mexico, Virtual. 


Mila Gascó-Hernández. (2023, November 9). Adoption and Implementation of AI in the Public Sector from a Public Administration/Management Perspective [Symposium Presenter]. UAlbany AI Symposium. University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY. 


Committees

CTG UAlbany Research Director and Rockefeller College Associate Professor Mila Gascó-Hernández appointed to the Capital District Library Council’s AI in Libraries Planning Committee. 


CTG UAlbany Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia and CTG UAlbany Research Director and Rockefeller College Associate Professor Mila Gascó-Hernández invited to serve on the Social Impact, Ethics, and Trustworthy AI working group of the SUNY Artificial Intelligence Task Force.  


CTG UAlbany Research Director and Rockefeller College Associate Professor Mila Gascó-Hernández was part of the programming committee of the Inaugural SUNY AI Symposium. 


CTG UAlbany Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia is a member of the Editorial Advisory Board for the Book:  Charalabidis, Yannis, Rony Medaglia and Colin Van Noordt, (Eds.) (2023). Research Handbook on Public Management and Artificial Intelligence. Cheltenhaan: Edward Elgar Publishing. [England] 


CTG UAlbany Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garcia is a Rockefeller College Representatives on the AI Curriculum Committee, University at Albany, State University of New York.  [United States] 


CTG UAlbany Research Director and Rockefeller College Associate Professor Mila Gascó-Hernández served as co-chair of the AI in Government minitrack for the 56th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS) January 3-6, 2023, in Maui, Hawaii. Mila has been co-chair of this minitrack since 2022.   


News Stories

CTG UAlbany Launches AI in Government Lab

The University at Albany’s Center for Technology in Government has launched the AI in Government Lab to highlight a substantial body of work dedicated to the study and application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector. 


CTG UAlbany Deploys AI to Assist Local Governments

UAlbany's Center for Technology in Government is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to aid the city of Schenectady monitor the use of city assets. 


CTG UAlbany Students Using AI to Help City of Schenectady Track Government Resources

UAlbany students Michelle Leon Vasquez, Tyler Jardine and Kelvin Cai are getting a first-hand look at how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to improve the lives of individuals. They are working side-by-side with the University’s Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany) to assist the city of Schenectady in monitoring the use of city assets. 


How Are Chatbots Being Used in Government Agencies?

A University at Albany research team conducted a study on how 22 state government agencies are harnessing chatbot technology, uncovering valuable insights into the challenges faced and lessons learned. 


CTG UAlbany Study Examines AI Chatbots in Public Organizations

Researchers from CTG UAlbany and University College London (UCL)’s School of Public Policy examine the use of chatbots by governments, and what factors have led to their successful deployment or failure. 


CTG UAlbany Examines Libraries’ Role in AI

The University at Albany’s Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany) is partnering with the Urban Libraries Council (ULC) to examine how libraries can empower communities to better understand AI and ensure its ethical design and application. 


Researchers Examine AI’s role for Improving Government Services

In a new article in the International Journal of Electronic Government Research (IJEGR), Center for Technology in Government (CTG UAlbany) Director J. Ramon Gil-Garcia and Professor Yi Long of the Shanghai University of Political Science and Law analyze the AI processes currently utilized in China to manage government services, and whether other forms of automation could be better options for ensuring transparency. 


Doctoral Student Studies Role of AI in Government

CTG UAlbany Research Assistant and Rockefeller College Doctoral Student Tzuhao Chen featured in UAlbany story about his research interests, work at CTG, and plans for the future.   


CTG researchers explore the potential of artificial intelligence in government decision-making

Center for Technology in Government Director and Rockefeller College Professor J. Ramon Gil-Garica along with researchers from Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México have conducted a study on how artificial intelligence techniques can be used to boost government decision-making by gearing public spending toward increasing GDP, decreasing inflation and reducing income inequality. 


Computer Science graduate student building chatbot this summer at CTG UAlbany in STILE program

Computer Science students from the University at Albany’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) started to understand how the technology works by building their own chatbot through CTG UAlbany’s Student Technology Innovations Lab Experience (STILE) this summer. 


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