Artificial Intelligence and the Public Sector: Opportunities, Threats and Risks

Öz

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming a part of everyday life, impacting numerous sectors and making its effects felt across many fields. As public administration, which is integral to political and social life, becomes more exposed to these influences, it is evident that AI is being intensively adopted within public organizations. Artificial intelligence holds the potential to play significant roles in transforming public services into more efficient, effective, and citizen-centered systems. From this perspective, it can be argued that the use of AI in public organizations leads to several positive outcomes. However, as with any application, the implementation of AI in public organizations also carries the potential for adverse complications. This article first outlines the definition and scope of artificial intelligence, then explores the relationship between AI and public administration. It specifically addresses the potential and opportunities of AI applications in the public sector and evaluates AI implementation across various domains. Concurrently, the risks and threats accompanying these applications are also examined within the scope of the study. Through the analyses and perspectives presented, this work aims to inform future practices regarding the use of artificial intelligence in public organizations.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence and Public Sector
• Artificial Intelligence and Public Administration

Yapay Zekâ ve Kamu Sektörü: Fırsatlar, Tehditler ve Riskler

Öz

Yapay zeka her geçen gün daha fazla tüm sektörleri kapsayacak şekilde hayatın bir parçası haline gelmekte ve bir çok alanda etkilerini hissettirmektedir. Siyasal ve toplumsal hayatın bir parçası olan kamu yönetiminin de dış etkilere daha fazla açık hale gelmesi ile birlikte, yapay zekanın kamu örgütlerinde de yoğun bir kullanımının söz konusu olduğu görülmektedir. Yapay zeka, kamu hizmetlerinin daha verimli, etkili ve vatandaş odaklı hale dönüştürülmesinde önemli roller üstlenebilecek potansiyellere sahiptir. Bu perspektiften bakıldığında, yapay zekanın kamu örgütlerinde kullanılmasının birtakım olumlu etki ve sonuçlara yol açmakta olduğu söylenebilir. Ancak her uygulama da olduğu gibi yapay zekanın kamu örgütlerinde uygulanmasının bazı olumsuz komplikasyonlara yol açma olasılığının da varlığı göze çarpmaktadır. Bu makalede, yapay zekanın tanımı ve kapsamı ortaya konulduktan sonra, yapay zeka ve kamu yönetimi ilişkisine değinilmektedir. Özellikle kamu sektöründe yapay zeka uygulamasının potansiyel ve fırsatlarına değinilmekte ve farklı alanlarda yapay zeka uygulamasına yönelik değerlendirmelerde bulunulmaktadır. Bununla birlikte bu uygulamalara eşlik eden riskler ve tehditler de çalışma kapsamında ele alınmaktadır. Bu çalışma ile, ortaya konan analiz ve perspektiflerle yapay zekanın kamu örgütlerinde kullanılmasına ilişkin bundan sonraki uygulamalara ışık tutması beklenmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• yapay zeka
• yapay zeka ve kamu sektörü
• yapay zeka ve kamu yönetimi

Kaynakça

1. Agba, M. S., Agba, G. M. E. ve Obeten, A. W. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and Public Management and Governance in Developed and Developing Market Economies, Journal of Public Administration, Policy and Governance Research, 1(2), 1–14. https://jpapgr.com/index.php/research
2. Aktaş, M. (2023). Yapay zeka: Fırsatlar ve riskler. In M. Aktaş (Ed.), Yapay zeka: Yönetim ve eğitim (pp. 1–32). Nobel.
3. Arslan, A. C. (2025). Intentions and Premises: An Analysis of Sustainability in U.S. Security Institutions’ AI Strategies. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 321–359). IGI Global.
4. Balci, H. S. ve Balci İ. (2025). Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Sustainable Public Administration. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 243–276). IGI Global.
5. Berryhill, J., Heang, K. K., Clogher, R. ve McBride, K. (2019). Hello, World: Artificial intelligence and its use in the public sector. OECD, http://oe.cd/helloworld.
6. Bharosa, N. (2022). The rise of GovTech: Trojan horse or blessing in disguise? A research agenda. Government Information Quarterly, 39, 101692.
7. Bozdoğanoğlu, B., Kaya, H. I. ve Yücel, A. (2024). Kamu İdarelerinde Yapay Zeka Kullanımının Ülke Uygulamaları ve Temel Kamusal İlkeler Çerçevesinde Değerlendirilmesi. Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi, 26(1), 001–032.
8. Coşkun, B., Aktaş, M. ve Sarcan, N. (2023). Kamu yönetiminde yapay zeka uygulamaları. In M. Aktaş (Ed.), Yapay zeka: Yönetim ve eğitim (pp. 56–83). Nobel.

9. Coşkun, F. ve Gülleroğlu, H. D. (2021). Yapay Zekanın Tarih İçindeki Gelişimi ve Eğitimde Kullanılması. Ankara Üniversitesi Eğitim Bilimleri Fakültesi Dergisi, 54(3), 947-966, DOI: 10.30964/auebfd.916220.
10. Criado, J. I, Sandoval-Almaz´an, R. ve Gil-Garcia, J.R. (2024). Artificial intelligence and public administration: Understanding actors, governance, and policy from micro, meso, and macro perspectives. Public Policy and Administration, 1–12, doi.org/10.1177/09520767241272921
11. Criado, J. I. ve Zarate-Alcarazo, L. O.de. (2022). Technological frames, CIOs, and Artificial Intelligence in public administration: A socio-cognitive exploratory study in Spanish local governments. Government Information Quarterly, 39(2), 101688.
12. Demirkol, M. (2025). Metropolitan Managers' Perspectives on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 227–242). IGI Global.
13. Dereli, T. (2020). Yapay zeka ve insanlık. In M. Şeker, Y. Bulduklu, C. Korkut, & M. Doğrul (Eds.), Bilişim teknolojileri ve iletişim: Birey ve toplum güvenliği (pp. 91–106). https://doi.org/10.53478/TUBA.2020.01210.53478/TUBA.2020.012
14. Dörfler, V. (2023). Yöneticiler için Yapay Zeka. Çev. C. Altay, Türkiye İş Bankası Yayınları. Erbaş, S. M. (2023). Türk Kamu Yönetiminde Stratejik Yönetim ve Dijital Dönüşüm Bağlamında Yapay Zekanın Kullanımı. Türk İdare Dergisi, 95(496), 185–215.
15. Ercan, S. Ç. (2023). Yerel yönetimlerde yapay zeka. In M. Aktaş (Ed.), Yapay zeka: Yönetim ve eğitim (pp. 33–54). Nobel.
16. Ergül, E. (2025). Yapay zeka ve hukuk (2. Baskı). Adalet Yayınevi.
17. Erol, V. (2024). Yapay Zekanın Kamu Yönetimine Etkisi. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 82, 11-25, DOI: 10.51290/dpusbe.1476745.
18. Gesk, T. S. ve Leyer, M. (2022). Artificial intelligence in public services: When and why citizens accept its usage. Government Information Quarterly, 39, 101704.
19. Henman, P. (2020). Improving Public Services Using Artificial Intelligence: Possibilities, Pitfalls. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 42(4), 209–221. https://doi.org/10.1080/23276665.2020.1816188.
20. Jankovski, B., Zola, F., Meneghel, G. ve Zarelli, P. (2025). Implementation of Artificial Intelligence Solutions in the Brazilian Public Sector: Challenges and Opportunities. Revista Foco, 18. e7459. 10.54751/revistafoco.v18n1-043.
21. Lahdili, N. ve Nyaburi, I. (2025). Steering the AI Revolution in Local Governments: Merits and Demerits. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 23–52). IGI Global.
22. Lahdili, N., Önder, M. ve Nyadera, I. N. (2024). Artificial Intelligence and Citizen Participation in Governance: Opportunities and Threats. Amme İdaresi Dergisi, 57(3), 202–229.
23. Maalla, H. A. (2021). Artificial Intelligence in Public Sector: A Review for Government Leaders about AI Integration into Government Administrations. International Journal of Acdemic Research in Economics & Management Sciences, 10(4), 31–45.
24. MacCarthaigh, M., ve Simoes, S. (2024). AI in the public sector: Fundamental operational questions and how to address them. In Y. Charalabidis, R. Medaglia, ve C. van Noordt (Eds.), Research handbook on public management and artificial intelligence (pp. 45–61). Edward Elgar.
25. Madan, R. ve Ashok M. (2023). AI adoption and diffusion in public administration: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Government Information Quarterly, 40, 101774.
26. Madupati, B. (2024). The Role of AI in the Public Sector: A Technical Perspectiv”, Journal of Artificial Intelligence & Cloud Computing, (4), 1-6, SRC/JAICC-E147. DOI: doi.org/10.47363/JAICC/2024(3)E147
27. Maragno, G., Gastaldi, L., Tangi, L. ve Benedetti, M. (2021). The spread of Artificial Intelligence in the public sector: a World wide overview. 14th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance, (ICEGOV 2021), October 06–08, Athens, Greece. ACM, NewYork, NY, USA, https://doi.org/10.1145/3494193.3494194.
28. Medaglia, R., Gil-Garcia, J. R., ve Pardo, T. A. (2023). Artificial Intelligence in Government: Taking Stock and Moving Forward, Social Science Computer Review, 41(1), 123-140. https://doi.org/10.1177/08944393211034087.
29. Mellouli, S., Janssen, M. ve Ojo, A. (2024). Introduction to the Issue on Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Risks and Benefits of AI for Governments. Digital Government Research & Practice, 5(1), 1–6.
30. Mergel, I., Dickinson, H., Stenvall, J. ve Gasco, M. (2023). Implementing AI in the public sector. Public Management Review, DOI: 10.1080/14719037.2023.2231950
31. Misra, S.K., Das, S, Gupta, S. ve Sharma, S.K. (2020). Public Policy and Regulatory Challenges of Artificial Intelligence (AI). International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT (TDIT), Dec, Tiruchirappalli, India. 100–111, 10.1007/978-3-030-64849-7_10. hal03701826.
32. Ndlovu, S. (2025). AI- Driven Tools for Sustainable Public Administration: Identification of Potential Barriers to AI Adoption in Public Administration Including Technological, AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 81–111). IGI Global.
33. Neumann, O., Guirguis, K., ve Steiner, R. (2022). Exploring artificial intelligence adoption in public organizations: a comparative case study, Public Management Review, 26(1), 114–141. https://doi.org/10.1080/14719037.2022.2048685.
34. OECD. (2019). Artificial Intelligence in Society. OECD Publishing, Paris.
35. OECD/CAF. (2022), The Strategic and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector of Latin America and the Caribbean. OECD Public Governance Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/1f334543-en.
36. OECD. (2024). Governing with Artificial Intelligence: Are governments ready? OECD Publishing, Paris.
37. Okay, E. (2025). Cost- Effective Sustainable Energy Solutions for Turkey: AI Driven Renewables. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 291–320). IGI Global.
38. Önder M. ve Saygılı H. (2018). Yapay Zeka ve Kamu Yönetimine Yansımaları. Türk İdare Dergisi, 487, 629–658.
39. Önder M. ve Akkucuk, U. (2025). Introduction: AI Tools for Sustainable Public Administration. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 1–22). IGI Global.
40. Polat, M. (2024). Yapay zeka ve kamu yönetiminde dijital dönüşüm. In A. Şahin (Ed.), Kamu yönetiminde güncel uygulamalar (pp. 75–98). Özgür Yayınları. https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub582.c2398DOI: https://doi.org/10.58830/ozgur.pub582.c2398
41. Priyadi, U ve Arwani, A. (2024). Digital transformation: Artificial intelligence shaping the future of public sector. New Applied Studies in Management, Economics & Accounting, 4(28), 54–67.
42. Raavi, S. T., Radhika, R. ve Charan, C.S. (2025). Innovative Intelligence AI Tools Transforming Public Service Excellence. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 189–225). IGI Global.
43. Regan, P. M., ve Maschino, K. (2019). A public administrator’s practical guide to ethics and artificial intelligence. In A. Shark (Ed.), AI and its impact on public administration: Standing panel on technology leadership National Academy of Public Administration.
44. Rosa, A., Feyereisl, J., ve Team, T. G. (2016). A framework for searching for general artificial intelligence. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1611.00685
45. Safaei, M. ve Longo, J. (2024). The End of the Policy Analyst? Testing the Capability of Artificial Intelligence to Generate Plausible, Persuasive, and Useful Policy Analysis. Digital Government: Research and Practice, 5(1), 1–35, https://doi.org/10.1145/3604570.
46. Shark A. R. ve Shropshire, A. (2019). Artificial Intelligence and the Teaching of Public Policy and Administration. Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on public Administration: standing Panel on Technology Leadership, 25–32.
47. Sharma M., Luthra, S., Joshi, S. ve Kumar, A. (2022). Implementing challenges of artificial intelligence: Evidence from public manufacturing sector of an emerging economy. Government Information Quarterly, 39(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101624.
48. Stoyanova, A. ve Stefanova, M. (2025). Implementing Artificial Intelligence in Public Administration: Managing Challenges, Risks, and Opportunities in the Contemporary Context. In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), AI driven tools for sustainable public administration (pp. 153–187). IGI Global.
49. Straub, V.J., Morgan, D., Bright, J. ve Margetts, H. (2023). Artificial intelligence in government: concepts, standards, and a unified framework. Government Information Quarterly, 40(4), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2023.101881.
50. Surya, L. (2019). Artificial Intelligence in Pulic Sector. International Journal of Innovations in Engineering Research and Technology, vol 6(8).
51. Tangi L., van Noordt C., Combetto M., Gattwinkel D. ve Pignatelli F. (2022). AI Watch. European Landscape on the Use of Artificial Intelligence by the Public Sector, EUR 31088 EN, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, ISBN 978-92- 76-53058-9, doi:10.2760/39336, JRC129301.
52. Tanrıverdi, A. A. (2021). Yapay Zekanın Kamu Hizmetinin Sunumuna Etkileri. Adalet Dergisi, 66, 293–314.
53. Thierer, A., O’Sullivan Castillo, A. ve Russell, R. (2017). Artificial intelligence and public policy. Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Erişim tarihi 04/04/2025: https://www.mercatus.org/publications /artificial-intelligence-public-policy
54. Ubaldi, B, le Fevre, M. E., Petrucci, E., Marchionni, P., Biancalana, C., Hiltunen, N., Intravaia, M. D. ve Yang, C. (2019). State of the art in the use of emerging technologies in the public sector. OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, 31, 05/04/2025 (Erişim tarihi) https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/state-of-the-art-in-the-use-of-emerging-technologies-in-the-public-sector_932780bc-en.html
55. Ulaşan, F. (2025). The Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Turkish Judiciary. AI driven tools for sustainable public administration In U. Akkucuk ve M. Önder (Eds.), (pp. 389–411). IGI Global.
56. Uzun, M. M., Yıldız, M. ve Önder, M. (2022). Big Questions of AI in Public Administration and Policy. Siyasal: Journal of Political Sciences, 31(2), 423-442. https://doi.org/10.26650/siyasal.2022.31.1121900 van Noordt, C. ve Tangi L. (2023). The dynamics of AI capability and its influence on public value creation of AI within public administration. Government Information Quarterly, 40, 101860.
57. Wirtz, B. W., Weyerer, J. C. ve Geyer, C. (2019). Artificial intelligence and the public sector applications and challenges. International Journal of Public Administration, 42(7), 596–615.
58. World Bank. (2020). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector Maximizing Opportunities, Managing Risks, World Bank.
59. Xiaoyan, L ve Segumpan, R. G. (2024). Challenges of AI Adoption in China Public Service and its Impact on Efficiency and Performance. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(6), DOI:10.6007/IJARBSS/v14-i6/21800.
60. Wirtz, B. W., Langer, P. F. ve Fenner, C. (2021). Artificial Intelligence in the Public Sector: a Research Agenda. International Journal of Public Administration, 81(1), 135–147. DOI: 10.1080/01900692.2021.1947319.
61. Yılmaz, D. V. (2023). Yapay zeka ve yükseköğretim. In M. Aktaş (Ed.), Yapay zeka: Yönetim ve eğitim (pp. 205–233). Nobel.
62. Ziyanak, S. ve Eser, E. (2023). Yapay zeka uygulamalarının eğitim ve öğretime etkisi. In M. Aktaş (Ed.), Yapay zeka: Yönetim ve eğitim (pp. 183–203). Nobel.
63. Zuiderwijk, A., Chen, Y.C. ve Salem, F. (2021). Implications of the use of artificial intelligence in public governance: A systematic literature review and a research agenda. Government Information Quarterly, 38(3), 101577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.giq.2021.101577