An Enterprise View for Artificial Intelligence Capability and Governance: A System Dynamics Approach

Abstract

The government “enterprise” consists of a complex set of organizations with a multitude of goals and values, serving an equally diverse group of constituents. Because of this complexity, governing technology and data to support artificial intelligence (AI) capability has proven to be a difficult task that—according to experts—requires a systems perspective in its design and implementation. In this article, we take a conceptual approach to respond to this call from experts by providing working definitions of both enterprise data governance and a systems approach to management. Using these working definitions and data from municipal governments in Mexico, we develop a system dynamics model to explore some potential tradeoffs in the process of developing an enterprise view of information systems and data to create capability to develop AI applications in government. Simulation experiments suggest that an emphasis on governance of IT may create a strong foundation for the development of AI capability.