As a global trailblazer in digitization, Estonia's embrace of AI is no surprise. Ultimately, Bürokratt's goal is to become a comprehensive tool in the facilitation of public services. From “filing a consumer complaint, applying for permits, renewing identification cards, reporting a car accident, or borrowing books,” Bürokratt will allow users to complete a number of tasks in one session, either through voice, text, or sign language, on any device, according to e-Estonia.
These goals were developed with principles of sustainability and accessibility in mind, such that individuals “do not need to have all the knowledge or navigate through various institutions or websites, or spend significant time figuring out the specific steps or requirements involved when seeking a service or addressing a problem,” according to the initiative's website.
Instead, the onus for adhering to deadlines for obligations is reversed, placed onto the state by offering services proactively. The same site continues: “The service session typically begins with a notification… instead of the user searching for information or taking initiative; at the same time… users have the option to initiate services themselves.”
A vital feature currently being developed is Bürokratt's interoperability, which describes the ability of networks to exchange information.
“… Should the tools become interoperable, an Estonian woman going into labour in Finland could use Bürokratt to set up transportation to a hospital and get all her needs taken care of, even if she happens to be out of the country.”
(Justin Petrone)
An article on the e-Estonia website written by Justin Petrone describes Bürokratt's goal of establishing “interoperability with systems in other countries, such as neighbouring Finland, which has its own program, called AuroraAI. Should the tools become interoperable, an Estonian woman going into labour in Finland could use Bürokratt to set up transportation to a hospital and get all her needs taken care of, even if she happens to be out of the country.”
“You can get the same healthcare experience, regardless of where you are,” said Chief Data Officer for the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications, Ott Velsberg. “If you need to renew your prescription while being abroad, you can do that,” he added in the same article.
Reaching these goals will take time. Today, Bürokratt is limited to being a chatbot.
However, experts have cautioned against the use of AI in the provision of governmental and public services.
“A chatbot is not interchangeable with a civil servant,” said Sven Nyholm, professor of the ethics of artificial intelligence at Ludwig Maximilians University, in an interview with the BBC. “A human being can be accountable and morally responsible for their actions. AI chatbots cannot be accountable for what they do. Public administration requires accountability, and so therefore it requires human beings,” he added.
“If Bürokratt does not know the answer, the chat will be handed over to a customer support agent, who will take over the chat and will answer manually.”
(Kai Kallas)
Burokrätt overcomes this issue. “If Bürokratt does not know the answer, the chat will be handed over to a customer support agent, who will take over the chat and will answer manually,” said Kai Kallas, head of the Personal Services Department at Estonia's Information System Authority, also in response to the BBC.
Burokrätt's developers ultimately see AI as a tool that can increase productivity and reduce labour costs. Estonia's national AI development website writes, “The use of AI allows people to focus more on activities that create added value and delegate time-consuming and routine tasks to AI… This provides an opportunity to direct more resources to where taxpayers benefit the most from them. In a country like Estonia, where the population is declining, such solutions are essential to alleviate labour market problems.”
The initiative has yet to be fully implemented. When it is, citizens can expect to engage with state services with ease and convenience — serving as a testimony to Estonia's leadership in e-governance and digitization.
This article was written by Natalie Jenkins as part of the Local Journalism Initiative.
