Short Abstract:

As governments increasingly adopt AI in public service delivery, the critical role of anthropology in examining this shift becomes ever more apparent. This panel will explore the intersections of AI and government through an anthropological lens, either academic or practical.

Long Abstract:

This panel invites contributions from anthropologists, digital scholars, and practitioners, with the aim of fostering a critical dialogue on the role of AI in shaping future governance at what some see as a pivotal moment of technological change. By situating these discussions within the broader conference theme, we aim to reimagine the place of anthropological inquiry at the forefront of policy and technological debates.

In this sense, we welcome papers that address the tensions that arise at the critical juncture between technological innovation and governance as well as anthropology in and of government. As AI increasingly permeates sectors from healthcare to national security, governments face the dual challenge of fostering innovation while ensuring ethical oversight. We invite reflections on and ethnographic accounts of topics such as How AI reshapes power dynamics within public institutions? How do differing temporalities between technological development and public service protocols create tensions? How are traditional forms of public sector expertise—such as legal, ethical, or sociocultural knowledge—valued or marginalised in favour of technocratic AI expertise? How does the implementation of AI in public services impact social inequalities? How do public-private collaborations around implementing AI in public services affect public accountability and the nature of public goods? How do ethical frameworks get negotiated in the design of AI systems for public use? How can anthropology inform the design of AI applications?

Together, these questions aim to contribute to a broader understanding of AI governance and AI in governance as deeply situated and contested practices.