Government by algorithm: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:37, 7 December 2023

Revision as of 16:32, 26 December 2023

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Between 1971 and 1973, the [[Chile]]an government carried out [[Project Cybersyn]] during the [[presidency of Salvador Allende]]. This project was aimed at constructing a distributed [[decision support system]] to improve the management of the national economy.<ref>{{ cite web| url=http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/11088.html| title=IU professor analyzes Chile's 'Project Cybersyn'| publisher=UI News Room| access-date=27 May 2013| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910060602/http://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/11088.html| archive-date=10 September 2009}}</ref><ref name=medina/> Elements of the project were used in 1972 to successfully overcome the traffic collapse caused by a [[Presidency of Salvador Allende#Crisis|CIA-sponsored strike of forty thousand truck drivers]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Medina |first1=Eden |title=Rethinking algorithmic regulation |journal=Kybernetes |date=1 January 2015 |volume=44 |issue=6/7 |pages=1005–1019 |doi=10.1108/K-02-2015-0052}}</ref>

Also in the 1960s and 1970s, [[Herbert A. Simon]] championed [[expert systems]] as tools for rationalization and evaluation of administrative behavior.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Freeman Engstrom |first1=David |last2=Ho |first2=Daniel E. |last3=Sharkey |first3=Catherine M. |last4=Cuéllar |first4=Mariano-Florentino |title=Government by Algorithm: Artificial Intelligence in Federal Administrative Agencies |url=https://www-cdn.law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ACUS-AI-Report.pdf |date=2020 |access-date=2020-03-26 |archive-date=2022-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815021400/https://www-cdn.law.stanford.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ACUS-AI-Report.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The automation of rule-based processes was an ambition of tax agencies over many decades resulting in varying success.<ref>{{cite book |first1=Helen |last1=Margretts |author-link1=Helen_MargettsHelen Margetts |title=Information technology in government : Britain and America |date=1999 |publisher=Routledge |___location=New York |isbn=9780203208038}}</ref> Early work from this period includes Thorne McCarty's influential TAXMAN project<ref name ="mccarty">McCarty, L. Thorne. ''Reflections on" Taxman: An Experiment in Artificial Intelligence and Legal Reasoning.'' Harvard Law Review (1977): 837–893.</ref> in the US and Ronald Stamper's [[LEGOL]] project<ref name="stamper77">Stamper, Ronald K. ''The LEGOL 1 prototype system and language.'' The Computer Journal 20.2 (1977): 102-108.</ref> in the UK. In 1993, the computer scientist [[Paul Cockshott]] from the [[University of Glasgow]] and the economist Allin Cottrell from the [[Wake Forest University]] published the book ''[[Towards a New Socialism]]'', where they claim to demonstrate the possibility of a democratically [[planned economy]] built on modern computer technology.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Cockshott |first1=W. Paul |title=Towards a new socialism |date=1993 |publisher=Spokesman |___location=Nottingham, England |isbn=978-0851245454}}</ref> The Honourable Justice [[Michael Kirby (judge)|Michael Kirby]] published a paper in 1998, where he expressed optimism that the then-available computer technologies such as [[legal expert system]] could evolve to computer systems, which will strongly affect the practice of courts.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Kirby |first1=Michael |title=The Future of Courts - Do They Have One |url=https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/jlinfos9&div=19&id=&page= |journal=Journal of Law and Information Science |access-date=12 April 2020 |pages=141 |date=1998|volume=9 }}</ref> In 2006, attorney [[Lawrence Lessig]], known for the slogan [[Code and Other Laws of Cyberspace|"Code is law"]], wrote:

<blockquote>[T]he invisible hand of cyberspace is building an architecture that is quite the opposite of its architecture at its birth. This invisible hand, pushed by government and by commerce, is constructing an architecture that will perfect control and make highly efficient regulation possible<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lawrence |first1=Lessig |author-link1=Lawrence_LessigLawrence Lessig |title=Code |date=2006 |publisher=Basic Books |isbn=978-0-465-03914-2 |edition=Version 2.0}}</ref></blockquote>

Since the 2000s, algorithms have been designed and used to [[Closed-circuit television#Computer-controlled analytics and identification|automatically analyze surveillance videos]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Sodemann |first1=Angela A. |last2=Ross |first2=Matthew P. |last3=Borghetti |first3=Brett J. |title=A Review of Anomaly Detection in Automated Surveillance |journal=IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics - Part C: Applications and Reviews|date=November 2012 |volume=42 |issue=6 |pages=1257–1272 |doi=10.1109/TSMCC.2012.2215319|s2cid=15466712}}</ref>

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In 2013, algorithmic regulation was coined by [[Tim O'Reilly]], founder and CEO of O'Reilly Media Inc.:

<blockquote>Sometimes the "rules" aren't really even rules. Gordon Bruce, the former CIO of the city of Honolulu, explained to me that when he entered government from the private sector and tried to make changes, he was told, "That's against the law." His reply was "OK. Show me the law." "Well, it isn't really a law. It's a regulation." "OK. Show me the regulation." "Well, it isn't really a regulation. It's a policy that was put in place by Mr. Somebody twenty years ago." "Great. We can change that!" [...] Laws should specify goals, rights, outcomes, authorities, and limits. If specified broadly, those laws can stand the test of time. Regulations, which specify how to execute those laws in much more detail, should be regarded in much the same way that programmers regard their code and algorithms, that is, as a constantly updated toolset to achieve the outcomes specified in the laws. [...] It's time for government to enter the age of big data. Algorithmic regulation is an idea whose time has come.<ref name=timoreilly>{{cite book |last1=O’Reilly |first1=Tim |author-link1=Tim_OTim O'Reilly |editor1-last=Goldstein |editor1-first=B. |editor2-last=Dyson |editor2-first=L. |title=Beyond Transparency: open Data and the Future of Civic Innovation |date=2013 |publisher=Code for America Press |___location=San Francisco |pages=289–300 |chapter=Open Data and Algorithmic Regulation}}</ref></blockquote>

In 2017, Ukraine's [[Ministry of Justice (Ukraine)|Ministry of Justice]] ran experimental [[government auction]]s using [[blockchain]] technology to ensure transparency and hinder corruption in governmental transactions.<ref name=ukrainereuteers/> "Government by Algorithm?" was the central theme introduced at Data for Policy 2017 conference held on 6–7 September 2017 in London.<ref>{{cite web |title=Data for Policy 2017 |url=https://dataforpolicy.org/data-for-policy-2017/ |website=Data for Policy CIC |access-date=23 January 2021}}</ref>

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===Smart contracts===

[[Smart contract]]s, [[cryptocurrencies]], and [[decentralized autonomous organization]] are mentioned as means to replace traditional ways of governance.<ref name=indiadao>{{cite news |last1=Bindra |first1=Jaspreet |title=Transforming India through blockchain |url=https://www.livemint.com/Technology/UZIex6fPPyAqVuTHqpzZiN/Transforming-India-through-blockchain.html |access-date=31 May 2020 |work=Livemint |date=30 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Finn |first1=Ed |date=10 April 2017 |title=Do digital currencies spell the end of capitalism? |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/science/political-science/2017/apr/10/do-digital-currencies-spell-the-end-of-capitalism |access-date=31 May 2020}}</ref><ref name=algocracyblockchain/> Cryptocurrencies are currencies, which are enabled by algorithms without a governmental [[central bank]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reiff |first1=Nathan |title=Blockchain Explained |website=Investopedia |url=https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/blockchain.asp |access-date=31 May 2020}}</ref> [[Central bank digital currency]] often employs similar technology, but is differentiated from the fact that it does use a central bank. It is soon to be employed by major unions and governments such as the European Union and China. [[Smart contracts]] are self-executable [[contract]]s, whose objectives are the reduction of need in trusted governmental intermediators, arbitrations and enforcement costs.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Szabo |first1=Nick |author-link1=Nick Szabo |title=View of Formalizing and Securing Relationships on Public Networks |journal=First Monday |date=1997 |doi=10.5210/fm.v2i9.548 |s2cid=33773111 |url=https://firstmonday.org/article/view/548/469 |access-date=2020-05-31 |archive-date=2022-04-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410235953/https://firstmonday.org/article/view/548/469 |url-status=dead |doi-access= free}}</ref><ref name=conbook>{{cite book |last1=Fries |first1=Martin |last2=P. Paal |first2=Boris |title=Smart Contracts |year=2019 |publisher=Mohr Siebeck |jstor=j.ctvn96h9r |isbn=978-3-16-156911-1 |language=de}}</ref> A decentralized autonomous organization is an [[organization]] represented by smart contracts that is transparent, controlled by shareholders and not influenced by a central government.<ref>{{cite web |title=What is DAO - Decentralized Autonomous Organizations |url=https://blockchainhub.net/dao-decentralized-autonomous-organization/ |website=BlockchainHub |access-date=31 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Prusty |first=Narayan |date=27 Apr 2017 |title=Building Blockchain Projects |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=80EwDwAAQBAJ |___location=Birmingham, UK |publisher=Packt |page=9 |isbn=9781787125339}}</ref><ref>{{citation |last1=Chohan |first1=Usman W. |title=The Decentralized Autonomous Organization and Governance Issues |date=4 December 2017 |publisher=Social Science Research Network |ssrn=3082055}}.</ref> Smart contracts have been discussed for use in such applications as use in (temporary) [[employment contract]]s<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=3270867|title=The Gig Economy, Smart Contracts, and Disruption of Traditional Work Arrangements|first1=Seth|last1=Oranburg|first2=Liya|last2=Palagashvili|date=October 22, 2018|via=Social Science Research Network|doi=10.2139/ssrn.3270867|ssrn=3270867 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/328657407_A_Blockchain-Based_Decentralized_System_for_Proper_Handling_of_Temporary_Employment_Contracts328657407|title=(PDF) A Blockchain-Based Decentralized System for Proper Handling of Temporary Employment Contracts}}</ref> and automatic transfership of funds and property (i.e. [[inheritance]], upon registration of a [[death certificate]]).<ref>[https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2017/581948/EPRS_IDA(2017)581948_EN.pdf How blockchain technology could change our lives]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@illuminatesofficial/business-inheritance-in-blockchain-b3fab4613c8c|title=Business inheritance in blockchain|first=Illuminates|last=Official|date=September 11, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.inc.com/chris-j-snook/4-small-business-verticals-artificial-intelligence-blockchain-will-destroy-in-coming-decade.html|title=Blockchain and AI are coming to kill these 4 business verticals}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://silentnotary.com/#project|title=Silent Notary - Blockchain Notary Service 100% events falsification protection|website=silentnotary.com}}</ref> Some countries such as Georgia and Sweden have already launched blockchain programs focusing on property ([[Title search|land titles]] and [[real estate]] ownership)<ref name=ukrainereuteers>{{cite news |last1=Chavez-Dreyfuss |first1=Gertrude |title=Ukraine launches big blockchain deal with tech firm Bitfury |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-bitfury-blockchain-idUSKBN17F0N2 |access-date=15 August 2021 |work=Reuters |date=17 April 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bitfury.com/content/downloads/the_bitfury_group_republic_of_georgia_expand_blockchain_pilot_2_7_16.pdf|title=The Bitfury Group and Government of Republic of Georgia Expand Blockchain Pilot}}</ref><ref>[https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/inov_a_00276 A BLOCKCHAIN - Journals Gateway]</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.oecd.org/corruption/integrity-forum/academic-papers/Georg%20Eder-%20Blockchain%20-%20Ghana_verified.pdf|title=Digital Transformation: Blockchain and Land Titles}}</ref> Ukraine is also looking at other areas too such as [[Public records|state registers]].<ref name=ukrainereuteers/>

===Algorithms in government agencies===

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{{See also|Early warning system}}

[[Tsunami]]s can be detected by [[Tsunami warning system]]s. They can make use of AI.<ref>{{cite web |title=Japanese team develops AI-based system to forecast tsunami and damages |url=https://www.preventionweb.net/news/how-ai-will-help-us-better-understand-tsunami-risks |url-status=live |website=www.preventionweb.net}}{{Dead link|date=May 2023|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221057355|title=Artificially Intelligent Tsunami Early Warning System}}</ref> [[Flooding]]s can also be detected using AI systems.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://fortune.com/2019/08/10/artificial-intelligence-wildfires-flooding-rescue/|title=How Artificial Intelligence Could Help Fight Climate Change-Driven Wildfires and Save Lives|website=Fortune}}</ref> [[Wildfire]]s can be predicted using AI systems.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Predictive modeling of wildfires: A new dataset and machine learning approach|first1=Younes Oulad|last1=Sayad|first2=Hajar |last2=Mousannif|first3=Hassan|last3=Al Moatassime|date=March 1, 2019|journal=Fire Safety Journal |volume=104|pages=130–146|doi=10.1016/j.firesaf.2019.01.006|s2cid=116032143|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261272818|title=(PDF) Artificial intelligence for forest fire prediction}}</ref> [[Wildfire#Detection|Wildfire detection is possible by AI systems]] (i.e. through satellite data, aerial imagery, and personnel position) and can help in the evacuation of people during wildfires.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Using Artificial Intelligence for Safe and Effective Wildfire Evacuations |first1=Xilei|last1=Zhao |first2=Ruggiero|last2=Lovreglio|first3=Erica|last3=Kuligowski|first4=Daniel |last4=Nilsson|date=April 15, 2020|journal=Fire Technology|volume=57|issue=2|pages=483–485 |doi=10.1007/s10694-020-00979-x|s2cid=218801709|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/05/tech/ai-wildfires/index.html |title=How AI is helping spot wildfires faster|author1=Rachel Metz |others=Video by John General |website=CNN|date=5 December 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite webnews |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/11/06/california-has-million-acres-forest-this-company-is-training-artificial-intelligence-scour-it-all-wildfire/|title=California has 33 million acres of forest. This company is training artificial intelligence to scour it all for wildfire. |first=Peter|last=Holley |worknewspaper=The Washington Post}}</ref> [[Earthquake warning system|Earthquake detection systems]] are now improving alongside the development of AI technology through measuring seismic data and implementing complex algorithms to improve detection and prediction rates.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mousavi |first1=S. Mostafa |last2=Sheng |first2=Yixiao |last3=Zhu |first3=Weiqiang |last4=Beroza |first4=Gregory C. |date=2019 |title=STanford EArthquake Dataset (STEAD): A Global Data Set of Seismic Signals for AI |journal=IEEE Access |volume=7 |pages=179464–179476 |doi=10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2947848 |s2cid=208111095 |issn=2169-3536|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Banna |first1=Md. Hasan Al |last2=Taher |first2=Kazi Abu |last3=Kaiser |first3=M. Shamim |last4=Mahmud |first4=Mufti |last5=Rahman |first5=Md. Sazzadur |last6=Hosen |first6=A. S. M. Sanwar |last7=Cho |first7=Gi Hwan |date=2020 |title=Application of Artificial Intelligence in Predicting Earthquakes: State-of-the-Art and Future Challenges |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9218936 |journal=IEEE Access |volume=8 |pages=192880–192923 |doi=10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3029859 |s2cid=226292959 |issn=2169-3536|doi-access=free }}</ref> Earthquake monitoring, phase picking, and seismic signal detection have developed through AI algorithms of [[Deep learning|deep-learning]], analysis, and computational models.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mousavi |first1=S. Mostafa |last2=Ellsworth |first2=William L. |last3=Zhu |first3=Weiqiang |last4=Chuang |first4=Lindsay Y. |last5=Beroza |first5=Gregory C. |date=2020-08-07 |title=Earthquake transformer—an attentive deep-learning model for simultaneous earthquake detection and phase picking |journal=Nature Communications |language=en |volume=11 |issue=1 |pages=3952 |doi=10.1038/s41467-020-17591-w |pmid=32770023 |pmc=7415159 |bibcode=2020NatCo..11.3952M |issn=2041-1723}}</ref> [[Locust]] breeding areas can be approximated using machine learning, which could help to stop locust swarms in an early phase.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Gómez |first1=Diego |last2=Salvador |first2=Pablo |last3=Sanz |first3=Julia |last4=Casanova |first4=Carlos |last5=Taratiel |first5=Daniel |last6=Casanova |first6=Jose Luis |date=August 15, 2018 |title=Machine learning approach to locate desert locust breeding areas based on ESA CCI soil moisture |journal=Journal of Applied Remote Sensing |volume=12 |issue=3 |at=036011 |bibcode=2018JARS...12c6011G |doi=10.1117/1.JRS.12.036011 |doi-access=free |s2cid=52230139}}</ref>

==Reception==