Trustworthy AI in Public Services: Transparency, Accountability, and Crisis-Resilient Communication – MT 03 2026

Building on the European normative framework, governments are rapidly integrating AI into public services. However, it is critical to ensure these systems are transparent, explainable, and accountable as the reliance on automated decision-making (ADM) and artificial intelligence (AI) systems poses risks to public trust, transparency, and accountability if not in line with legal standards. Although AI can enhance citizen engagement, research has also demonstrated that algorithmic bias reflects and even exacerbates existing social inequalities, thereby undermining principles of good administration, respect for the rule of law, and fundamental rights.

The session will explore whether these challenges can be addressed, in particular by utilising different tools and by bias testing via the AI Regulatory Sandboxes to ensure ‘human-rights-by-design’ from the earliest stages of development, or if it requires a more fundamental shift toward human-centric governance, fostering active participation through ‘anticipatory governance’ and ‘civic AI’.