A Methodology for Research of Artificial Intelligence Enablers in Public Administration

Abstract

The article reveals theoretical and methodological foundations for research of artificial intelligence (AI) enablers in the public administration field. It is substantiated that the current stage of digital technology advancement is characterized by the massive implementation of AI tools in the activities of public administration bodies, which necessitates the development of a clear and structured research methodology in this domain. However, comprehensive studies on the employment of digital algorithms in managerial decision-making processes are complicated due to inadequate systematization of the methodological framework. It is shown that the methodology for AI research should be considered as an integral system comprising a set of objectives, hypotheses, approaches, principles, techniques, and methods of research inquiry. Such a system is aimed at exploring analytical digital systems capable of simulating human intellectual activity, in particular through processing large volumes of data, recognizing information, and making decisions within predefined algorithms. Particular emphasis is placed on the need to distinguish between the concepts of “methodology,” “technique,” and “method,” which ensures the logical consistency of the research process and enhances the validity of results. Special attention is paid to defining the content of research techniques in the AI context, which is proposed to be interpreted as a set of rules for applying methods to solve scientific problems. The expediency of using the concept of technique in a narrow sense is substantiated, as it allows for the specification of research tools within the public administration field. It is argued that a comprehensive study of AI enablers needs to involve a combination of general scientific and specialized methods, including comparative analysis, observation, sociological survey, and experiment. It is concluded that a created coherent methodology designed for AI research in the public administration field will provide a framework for obtaining new research results and substantiating specific digital algorithms to be implemented in the managerial processes.