Digital (R)evolution in Belgian Federal Government: An Open Governance Ecosystem for Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Blockchain (DIGI4FED)

摘要

Three contextual factors define the context by which DIGI4FED is influenced. The first factor is the growing attention for the potential impact of big data (BD), artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain technology (BCT) on traditional government information processes. The second factor is the growing expectation of society from public administrations, to adopt new technological means to advance efficient and effective governance and public service delivery whilst ensuring the core democratic and moral values are not lost out of sight. The third factor concerns the Belgian federal administration itself. Previous research projects funded by Belgian federal government such as "FLEXPUB" and "PSI-CO" have demonstrated that the federal level has certain requirements and faces challenges concerning trust and equity embedded in digital tools, transparency of data and data use, the human dimension of digital judgments, technical difficulties, human and cultural factors, a gap between ambition and reality, and an imbalance between in- and outsourcing.