AI4Citizens -Supporting ethical and effective AI governance in European cities and regions

Project summary

The project addresses opportunities and challenges of adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector, particularly in local and regional governments. AI creates huge potential in transforming cities and regions and their communities and to improve public sector services and to increase productivity and government efficiency. However, AI also presents unforeseen risks and challenges for local and regional government e.g. related to security and safety, ethics, trust and regulatory issues. Cities and regions play an important role in ensuring that the whole of society is involved in and prepared for this major transformation.

Currently, European local and regional governments are actively developing AI strategies and policies and adopting and implementing AI in government services and operations. AI policies and adoption are especially promoted in the framework of smart city initiatives aiming to improve the quality of life, economic development and sustainable development in European cities and regions. The AI ACT, a proposed new European legal framework aiming to bolster regulations on the development and use of AI underlines the importance of close European cooperation, exchange and learning on AI at different levels of government.

By identifying good practices and novel solutions through interregional exchange and co-creation, the project aims at helping local and regional policy makers to improve and create policy mechanisms which facilitate safe and ethical adoption of AI in the public sector, particularly in local and regional governments, thus increasing people’s well-being and the vitality of the cities and regions. The project’s interregional learning process builds on the key elements of the AI governance model and processes, and related AI challenges in local and regional government that in different policy forms and features is the core policy change and improvement developed by the partners in the project.

The Baltic Institute of Finland coordinates project management in this initiative together with the lead partner, The City of Tampere.