Government promotes best practice applications of artificial intelligence in Public Administration

The presentation of 15 research projects in the areas of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for application in the Public Administration was held last October 24 at the National Statistical Institute in Lisbon. The event was attended by Maria Manuel Leitão Marques - Minister of the Presidency and of Administrative Modernisation and Manuel Heitor, Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education.

The projects have been granted 3.8 million euros by The Foundation of Science and Technology (FCT) within the framework of the program INCoDe.2030, included in Axis 5 - Research. These projects will be developed in different areas such as health, education, culture, mobility and territorial management and aim to reinforce the modernization of Public Administration, its role and benefits among citizens.

Concerning the growing importance of the use of new technologies in the Administration sector, the Minister of the Presidency and of Administrative Modernisation stated that the aim is ‘to improve services, the treatment of data to prevent problems instead of fixing them’. The Minister also added that the promotion of this type of initiatives ‘allows us to have a more comprehensive idea of ​​the potentialities of artificial intelligence and not associating it only with robots or robots that replace humans. Artificial Intelligence and Data Science serve to improve our quality of life and can also help modernize the Portuguese public services. ‘  

On the other hand, the Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, Manuel Heitor, indicated that "The World Economic Forum's report has the potential to increase the employment of new digital technologies by 10% the next four years, but it all depends on the competencies we can develop, not as simple users of systems that are technologically advanced by others, but to be associated with the development of these systems. Therefore, we are anticipating with the Public Administration the use of new tools that lead to social welfare and life and employment quality. Science and job creation go hand in hand.” Moreover, the Minister calls for "contributions to entrepreneurs, researchers and the Public Administration for the construction of a national strategy, in order to use artificial intelligence to be developed within the scope of INCoDe.2030 and to be put to public debate’.

In 18 months, the results of the projects now presented are expected and by the end of this year the second phase of the application process will take place.

More information on the Projects of Scientific Research and Technological Development in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration 2018  here: Artificial Intelligence - INTELIGÊNCIA ARTIFICIAL and Data Science - CIÊNCIA DOS DADOS.