Revolutionizing Governance with AI
The Romanian government has introduced an artificial intelligence (AI) powered robot named Ion, designed to help officials gain a better understanding of public concerns. This novel approach is being lauded as the "first experiment" in using AI to strengthen connections between citizens and decision-makers, potentially bolstering democracy and consolidating the legitimacy of governments.
Developed by local startup Humans.ai, Ion gathers data through automated scans of social media, specific hashtags, and public messages submitted via a dedicated platform. The collected data is then processed into reports for the use of government officials. Sebastian Burduja, Romania’s innovation minister, expressed that the ultimate aspiration would be for the AI to propose policy recommendations based on the data it collects from the public.
The bot is slated for an upgrade this summer, which will enhance its capabilities to provide answers and feature a dashboard that allows officials to filter data based on various parameters. Since its launch in March, Ion has already generated at least one report from the data it has collected.
These advancements coincide with the European Union's preparation of its AI Act, the first comprehensive set of guidelines and regulations for the development and deployment of AI across the EU. As one of the 27 member countries, Romania will be subject to any regulations issued by the Act.
The bot is slated for an upgrade this summer, which will enhance its capabilities to provide answers and feature a dashboard that allows officials to filter data based on various parameters. Since its launch in March, Ion has already generated at least one report from the data it has collected.
These advancements coincide with the European Union's preparation of its AI Act, the first comprehensive set of guidelines and regulations for the development and deployment of AI across the EU. As one of the 27 member countries, Romania will be subject to any regulations issued by the Act.
