Values under algorithmic pressure

The implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in public administration has generated both enthusiasm and concern. Unlike other sectors, public administration occupies a transversal position in society: it operates according to its own institutional values while simultaneously shaping the delivery of public services such as health, education, and social welfare. As administrative processes become increasingly digital and AI-driven, traditional public values — including legality, impersonality, morality, publicity, and efficiency — may be transformed in unexpected ways.

This paper argues that AI can alter public values through processes of value inflation and value deflation. Value deflation occurs when core elements of a value are reduced or displaced during technological translation. For example, the conversion of laws and regulations into computational rules may reduce legal ambiguity and constrain the discretion of street-level bureaucrats, thereby narrowing the meaning of legality. Conversely, value inflation occurs when a value is expanded beyond its traditional scope. AI systems may reinforce impersonality and formal equality to such an extent that empathy and equity become marginalized. Similarly, AI-enabled open government  initiatives can enhance publicity and access to information, while the opacity of algorithmic systems simultaneously creates new barriers to transparency and accountability.

Drawing on public administration theory and debates on digital governance, the paper examines how AI reshapes the meaning, balance, and interaction of public values. It argues that the governance challenges posed by AI are not limited to risks of efficiency, bias, or accountability, but also involve deeper transformations in the interpretation and application of foundational administrative principles.

Part of panel Digitalization as sphere transgression - part 1.