Marko Milenković, Simona Vračar, Milica Pešterić
Abstract
Serbia, like many other countries, is in the process of reforming its legislation to accommodate artificial intelligence-driven systems. The country has made some progress with investment in artificial intelligence (AI) research and development, the creation of IT infrastructure to support the future introduction of AI in the public sector, and the establishment of a strategic framework. While there is no binding national legislation solely dedicated to AI, the Strategy for Development of Artificial Intelligence in the Republic of Serbia for the period 2020–2025 lays the ground for integrating AI in sectors such as health, education, and public administration. It was supplemented by the adoption of Ethical Guidelines for Development, Application and Use of Reliable and Responsible Artificial Intelligence. The forthcoming Strategy 2024–2030 aims to further these goals, while addressing concerns about data protection and the ethical application of AI and is expected to be followed soon by a dedicated piece of legislation that will regulate the use of AI in detail.
Despite the efforts made to increase the use of AI in public administration, in practice it is still limited, and this paper examines a few examples of current or intended use. Even though Serbia is not part of the European Union, it strives to become a Member State, which entails aligning with the European Union acquis communautaire in all areas.
Given the recent enactment by the EU of the first-ever regulation on AI – the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) – it can be expected that Serbia will follow the lead and prepare a draft Law on AI that will be (for the most part) aligned with the AI Act. It can be concluded that the wider use of AI technologies by the public administration in Serbia will have to wait for both the establishment of the infrastructural and technical architecture for its application and the legislative alignment of a number of legislative acts before it can be fully implemented.
Table of Contents
Introduction: AI and Serbian Public Administration
The Regulatory Framework in Serbia
Use of AI by the Public Administration
Concluding Remarks