Artificial Intelligence and Government Transformation: Digital Government in Practice

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has transformed the landscape of governance, redefining how governments design policies, manage resources, and deliver services to citizens. Once confined to the private sector, AI technologies are now integral to public administration, offering solutions for efficiency, data management, decision support, and citizen engagement. The aim of this Special Issue, titled “Artificial Intelligence and Government Transformation: Digital Government in Practice,” is to explore how AI-driven innovation reshapes governance systems, enhances public sector efficiency, and contributes to building transparent, accountable, and citizen-oriented administrations.

(1) Focus, Scope, and Purpose

Focus:

This Special Issue focuses on the intersection between AI technologies and digital governance, examining how automation, predictive analytics, and data-driven systems influence public management, service delivery, and policy implementation.

Scope:

This Issue welcomes both theoretical and empirical research that explores AI adoption in public institutions, the ethical and regulatory dimensions of AI governance, and case studies illustrating real-world digital transformation. Interdisciplinary contributions from public administration, political science, data science, and information systems are encouraged.

Purpose:

The main purpose is to provide a comprehensive understanding of how AI enhances public sector efficiency and supports sustainable, inclusive, and innovative governance. Our aim is to identify best practices, governance frameworks, and ethical considerations to guide policymakers and researchers in leveraging AI for effective government transformation.

(2) Relationship to Existing Literature

While existing scholarship has examined e-government and digital transformation, the role of AI in public administration remains an emerging area with limited empirical grounding. Thus, this Special Issue seeks to supplement the current literature by linking technological innovation to governance theory and public management practice. It extends discussions on how AI-driven tools reshape decision-making, accountability, and citizen trust—bridging the gap between technological capability and administrative ethics. Through diverse case studies and cross-country comparisons, this Issue will offer new insights into how AI applications—such as algorithmic governance, machine learning, and natural language processing—are operationalized in public institutions to enhance efficiency and responsiveness.

Key Questions

• How is AI transforming public administration processes, structures, and service delivery?
• What ethical and governance frameworks are essential for responsible AI adoption?
• How can AI strengthen public accountability, transparency, and citizen trust?
• What institutional and policy challenges emerge in implementing AI-based systems in the public sector?
• What lessons can be drawn from successful cases of AI-enabled governance across regions?

Submission Instructions

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 300–500 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Special Issue Editor (melody.nan@mdpi.com) or to the Administrative Sciences Editorial Office (admsci@mdpi.com).

Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purpose of ensuring their proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

Prof. Dr. Li Chun Chiang
Dr. Helen Dian Fridayani
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Administrative Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• artificial intelligence (AI)
• digital governance
• public sector innovation
• smart government
• policy design
• data-driven decision-making
• E-government
• ethics and accountability
• algorithmic governance
• digital transformation