Algorithmic Government, Generally and Specifically: Evidence from the Use of Expert Systems

Abstract

The promise of delegating important decisions to machines has long been discussed in public administration, yet actual use has often lagged. Given the rapid approach of artificial intelligence in governance settings, we test hypotheses about the use of expert systems. Using data from crime laboratories in the United States, we provide evidence that the use of expert systems depends on familiar factors such as the pull of agency task environments and the support of organizational resources. We show that impacts of those factors have changed over time as the use of expert systems has become more common. Finally, we present evidence about how public organizations consider the general and specific use of technologies like expert systems.

Keywords: Expert systems; computational intelligence; government; implementation

JEL Classification: O31, O32, O33