Austria: Public Sector dimension of AI Strategy

Introduction

This page reports a synthesis of the main elements that characterise the national AI strategy with a specific focus on the public sector. It extracts the information related to a single country from a comparative analysis done by the AI Watch team and reported in full in the science for policy report “AI Watch. European Landscape on the Use of Artificial Intelligence by the Public Sector”.

Main highlights

Modernising public administrations key action to ensure AI ecosystem
Use of AI in government should follow an impact assessment
Legal framework for use of AI is to be evaluated and adjusted
Federal ministries will create departmental specific data plans
Training and AI competencies in administrations will be strengthened
Extensive use of AI will require many process innovations and funding

Strategy analysis

Learning by doing	n/a
Stimulating awareness and knowledge sharing	Awareness campaigns Building an International community
Ethical and legal framework	Development ethical frameworks Reform of data sharing laws
Improving data access and quality	Improving data quality Improving data access Access to private sector data
Funding and procurement	Funding for AI projects Stimulation of GovTech startups Revision of procurement processes
Improving internal capacity	Training on AI New public bodies

Comment

The strategy points out the need for an ethical framework specific for the design of an impact assessment that takes into account the rule of law and a people-centered approach.

Moreover, an effort is put into knowledge sharing, in particular through the development and expansion of AI observatories. Moreover, an interdisciplinary AI platform will be set up that aims to connect different relevant stakeholders, from both business, academia and the state administration.

Data access and quality, is also a key point for the strategy. Federal ministries will develop department-specific data strategies which will specify which data, and under which conditions, they can be made available.

Training courses are planned to make sure that the use of AI in the public is designed and development successfully, moreover the strategy stresses that public servants should be able to handle these AI applications and be able to act as a control function to ensure human oversight.

General Information

Title

Artificial Intelligence Mission Austria 2030

Data of release

Sep 2021

Specific actions to public sector

Objective 1: evaluate administrative processes to which extent they are suited for AI as to improve efficiency, quality and accuracy for citizens

Objective 2: use of AI in the public must be designed and developed successfully, AI competencies will have to be developed at different levels of the Austrian administration