A presentation by Prof. Dr. Oliver Neumann (University of Lausanne). This event is part of the Digital Governance Research Colloquium hosted by the Centre for Digital Governance.
Max Weber’s idea of bureaucracy as a machine—characterized by rule-based rationality, hierarchy, and procedural consistency—remains a foundational model for public administration. In many ways, AI agents and agentic AI systems can be seen as extensions of this logic, capable of automating and coordinating complex, interdependent tasks with a high degree of precision and procedural fidelity. This talk explores how such systems could benefit public administration, from case handling to policy implementation. Yet adoption is far from straightforward: legal constraints, ethical concerns, institutional inertia, and capability gaps pose significant barriers. Framed as an “upgrade” to Weber’s vision, this colloquium session critically examines both the promise and the friction of integrating AI into the machinery of government.
Prof. Dr. Oliver Neumann is a Professor in the Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration (IDHEAP) at the University of Lausanne. He received his PhD in Management at the University of Bern, where he also worked as a postdoctoral researcher in Information Systems. His current research interests include public sector innovation, artificial intelligence, agile government, and behavioral public administration, and digital transformation
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