Adoption of Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration to Combat Corruption – AI-PACOR
Commissioned by: Croatian Science Foundation
Project duration: December 15, 2025 - December 14, 2028
Project manager: Jelena Budak
Collaborators: Zoran Aralica, Bruno Škrinjarić
Summary:
Improving public integrity by increasing transparency and accountability might be boosted by the deployment of artificial intelligence (AI). Research on AI usage in public administration, its benefits and risks is scarce, in particular, empirical research on how AI might contribute to the integrity of public administration and anti-corruption efforts. AI-PACOR project will answer the main research question of how AI implementation in public administration contributes to seizing irregularities, especially to combat corruption. The innovation diffusion theory will be employed to investigate AI adoption, and empirical research will use survey data collected from local governments in Croatia and Slovenia, combined with secondary data and information gathered from interviews with relevant stakeholders in both countries. In this context, the specific issues will be addressed in Croatia and compared to Slovenia: AI usage, intention to use, AI readiness, factors of AI adoption, the AI’s potential in preventing and detecting irregularities and identified corruption risks in local government units in Croatia and Slovenia. Specific AI-driven interventions that could improve transparency and accountability and strengthen anti-corruption measures in (local) public administration will be identified. The project's outcome will be an empirically tested model and verified analytical tool to assess the adoption of AI as an innovation in public administration to combat corruption, applicable in other countries and different organizational settings. The research results will be published in quality journals, and policy recommendations on AI adoption in public administration, gathered from the AI-PACOR project, will be presented to the professional public and public administration representatives of both countries and internationally, thus raising awareness of the AI potential in curbing corruption and achieving a wider social and economic impact of the project.
RESEARCH AREA: Institutions