Artificial Intelligence as a Governance Technology: Institutional Logic and Public Trust

Abstract

With the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence algorithms in public administration and social governance, the modes through which technology participates in decision-making and resource allocation are undergoing structural transformation. Artificial intelligence offers instrumental advantages in areas such as urban management, public services, and risk control due to its capabilities in high-speed computation, predictive modeling, and pattern recognition. However, the institutional adaptation of artificial intelligence as a governance technology remains contested, particularly with regard to transparency, accountability mechanisms, and the foundations of legitimacy. Changes in institutional logic not only reshape modes of public decision-making but also reconfigure the basis of public trust in technology-enabled governance. Public trust constitutes a core condition for the stable operation of artificial intelligence within governance contexts, and its formation depends on institutional arrangements, cognitive understanding, and social-psychological factors. It is therefore necessary to examine the structural conditions under which artificial intelligence participates in governance by focusing on the interaction between institutional logic and public trust, so as to provide a theoretical account of its institutionalization. Drawing on literature analysis and a review of governance practices, this study explores shifts in institutional logic and the construction of trust mechanisms associated with the integration of artificial intelligence into governance processes, with the aim of advancing a social-scientific understanding of artificial intelligence in the public domain.