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Paper short abstract

This contribution examines how the roles of the government are framed in AI policy (including observer, guarantor, mitigator, facilitator), why certain roles dominate but others are neglected and what it tells about the distribution of power in AI governance.

Paper long abstract

The field of AI is characterized by high concentration of power in a small number of Big Tech companies, while society has relatively little influence. These power asymmetries have considerable impact on AI policy and governance. Against this backdrop, this study examines which roles does the government play in AI policy and governance and if the government is reinforcing or reshaping existing power asymmetries in AI. To do that, this study draws on two strands of literature focusing on the concept of power and the roles of government in socio-technical transformation. First, the power of Big Tech companies in AI policy and governance manifests itself in numerous ways including lobbying, regulatory capture, and funding for academics and non-governmental organisations. This study argues that different types of Big Tech power - economic, political and ideational - reinforce each other and it is important to focus on more subtle and indirect forms of power, such as power in ideas examining how certain pro-tech and tech solutionism framings gain prominence. Second, this study draws on recent work on the roles of government in sociotechnical transformations and emphasizes the shift from approaching roles of government in technology policy from difference in degree perspective (more or less government) to difference in kind (diverse roles of government, including observer, facilitator and lead-user). Empirically, this study examines framing of roles of government in AI policy documents, analyzing why some roles dominate, but others are absent, and what it tells about the distribution of power in AI governance.