Participatory Public Management using generative AI: studies and evidence on its application

• Grant number: 23/11095-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: October 01, 2024
• End date: September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Jorge Alberto Silva Machado Villanueva
• Grantee: Jorge Alberto Silva Machado Villanueva
• Host Investigator: Jorn Von Lucke
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Zeppelin Universität, Germany

Abstract

In recent years, government platforms have played an important role in narrowing the gap between citizens and public management, offering opportunities to contribute to topics of public interest. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), due to its characteristics of generating texts, images, audio and video content based on artificial intelligence and masses of training data, has brought new potential to social participation, with applications that have not yet been explored that will allow citizens to be significantly empowered in their relationship with public management. However, social participation, which already faced several obstacles, such as the lack of knowledge about policies, programs and laws and procedures, with Generative AI will now face other challenges. Some of them are: the risks of data bias, manipulation and fraud, lack of transparency and the safeguarding of human rights. The main objective of this research is to explore the advantages and risks associated with using generative AI in public management. Will be evaluated i) how such innovations can be applied at in the construction of proposals in public consultations; ii) the feasibility of applying generative AI in public policy knowledge bases; and iv) the risks of using this technology, aiming at the need to establish a framework of usage standards and policies within the scope of social participation.