AI and Public Policy Process: Between Efficiency and Ethical Challenges

Abstrak

The presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) as one of today's technological products has become a game changer in nearly every sector, reforming and transforming how we conduct our lives, including in the field of public policy with the efficiency it offers. However, the involvement of AI in this sector also brings about significant challenges, particularly ethical concerns. Using William Dunn's Policy Cycle Framework, this study aims to analyze the potential role of AI in driving efficiency at each stage of the policy process. In addition, ethical concerns, as a major challenge, will also be addressed. This research adopts a qualitative approach by extracting data from a range of academic literature and policy reports. The findings suggest that if policymakers can optimize the various features offered by AI systems, AI has significant and crucial potential at every phase, from the agenda-setting stage, which aims to establish a priority scale for public agendas, to the evaluation stage to assess the outcomes of policy interventions. Nevertheless, ethical concerns remain an ongoing issue and a source of complexity and dilemma. Ultimately, this study contributes to providing a fresh perspective on the integration of AI in the public policy sector, demonstrating how its presence can align with the iterative and non-linear nature of the policy process, as well as address the fundamental ethical issues in its application.