Collecting, generating and analysing national statistics with AI: what benefits and costs?

Abstract

The paper addresses the increasing adoption of digital transformation in public sector organizations, mainly focusing on its impact on national statistical offices. The emergence of data-driven strategies powered by artificial intelligence (AI) disrupts the conventional labour-intensive approaches of NSOs. The necessitates a delicate balance between real-time information and statistical accuracy, leading to exploring AI applications such as machine learning in data processing. Despite its potential benefits, the cooperation between AI and human resources requires in-depth examination to leverage their combined strengths effectively. The paper proposes an integrative review and multi-case study approach to comprehensively analyze the alternative uses of AI in national statistics production, identify the necessary skills for human resources to collaborate with AI, and assess the impact of AI on workers, statistical accuracy, reliability, and timeliness. The study intends to contribute to a deeper understanding of the benefits and costs of AI adoption in national statistical processes, facilitate the acceleration of digital transformation, and provide valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners in optimizing the use of AI and human resources in the public sector.