AI Lab for Public Services

A collaboration between Utrecht University, Utrecht University of Applied Sciences, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, working hand-in-hand with 8 leading industry and societal partners.

AI Lab for Public Services

Heidelberglaan 8, 3584 CS Utrecht

About the lab

The AI Lab for Public Services is dedicated to bridging the gap between technical AI research and the optimization of public administration.

The lab’s mission and vision are to build the fundamental knowledge base, technological tools, and human capacities necessary to transition to a new generation of public service systems supported and enhanced by safe, transparent, reliable, and inclusive AI and data science.

The impact of the lab lies in accelerating a comprehensive sociotechnical transition in governance. This is achieved by validating breakthroughs directly in live public sector settings alongside governmental and societal partners, fostering specialized talent through its unique dual academic-policy PhD model, and embedding socially aware, explainable, and responsible AI frameworks to ensure accountability, equal opportunity, and public trust across the public service ecosystem.

Research projects

Digital identity fraud and cybercrime in the era of digital public and private services – Focuses on developing a robust and resilient fraud detection system using state-of-the-art technologies, including AI, to combat the growing risks of digital identity fraud as citizens’ use of electronic government services increases.

Proactive government services with AI – Explores how AI can manage the complexity of social security systems to provide more accessible and responsive services, ultimately aiming to promote social justice through responsible AI systems.

Limiting undesirable behaviour of AI systems – Investigates techniques to detect and limit the risks of undesirable AI behavior by gaining insight into the internal workings of these systems and teaching them desirable behavior.

Public values in digitization – Seeks to understand how public values can be served during the development of digital government and aims to provide methods to safeguard these values during the design and development phases.

Power to the people through AI? The socio-technical dynamics of AI and democracy – Examines the mutual influence between AI and democratic institutions, specifically exploring how AI can be used to strengthen democratic values like participation and legitimacy.

Transparent working in a digital government – Focuses on developing digital innovations that contribute to open government, ensuring transparency and accountability within complex digital processes and large document flows.

Parliamentary control over algorithmic implementation – Identifies successful practices and bottlenecks in accountability mechanisms to clarify how parliament can exercise meaningful control over the implementation of algorithms in legislation and regulations.

Change processes in the renewal of large-scale ICT systems – Involves developing a scientifically based measuring instrument to help organizations ensure that their business and ICT departments remain aligned during far-reaching innovations.

People

Partners

Utrecht University (UU) is the lead knowledge institute and primary contact for the lab, Utrecht University oversees the majority of the PhD researchers.

Utrecht University of Applied Sciences (Hogeschool Utrecht – HU) is the key academic partner focusing on applied research and safeguarding public values within the design of digital government tools.

VU (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) is the academic partner providing scientific expertise in managing change processes and aligning business with large-scale ICT renewals.

Belastingdienst aims to ensure fair internal processes by researching techniques to detect and limit undesirable AI behavior.

Logius works to secure digital government services by developing AI-driven systems to combat identity fraud and cybercrime.

IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) focuses on maintaining alignment between business needs and ICT functionality during far-reaching system innovations.

BZK (Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations) explores how AI can be used to strengthen democratic values like participation, legitimacy, and transparency.

Senate (Eerste Kamer) investigates mechanisms for parliament to maintain meaningful control and accountability over governmental algorithmic implementation.

Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management develops digital innovations to ensure the government operates transparently amidst complex processes and vast document flows.

PublicSpaces seeks to provide methods for safeguarding fundamental public values during the development and design of digital services.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment uses AI to simplify complex social security systems and provide citizens with proactive, accessible services.