The Digital Transformation of Estonia's Parliamentary Operations: A Case Study on Technological Modernisation and Artificial Intelligence
About the Riigikogu of Estonia | Written on September, 2023
Introduction
Estonia, a small Northern European country, has been a leader in embracing digital technology at the national level. With a declining population of 1.3 million and limited human resources, the Estonian government has been proactive in implementing digital solutions. A significant development has been the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the public sector, with notable attention to the parliamentary operations managed by the Chancellery of the Riigikogu (the Estonian Parliament). This essay aims to explore the intricacies of this technological transition, evaluating its effectiveness and addressing the challenges involved.
The Paradigm Shift in Public Services
Estonia has been a pioneer in providing public services online. About 99% of public services are accessible online, 24/7, with only a few exceptions like marriage and divorce requiring physical signatures. The digital transformation extends to parliamentary operations. In recent elections, 51.1% of voters chose to vote online, highlighting the public's acceptance and trust in the digital infrastructure. This broad digitisation served as fertile ground for implementing AI in the public sector, with a national objective to implement at least 50 different AI use-cases in the public sector by 2020.
AI in Parliamentary Operations
The Estonian Parliament embarked on a transformative journey by incorporating a new real-time recording system, dubbed "Hans," to replace the traditional stenography methods. Developed in collaboration with the Tallinn University of Technology, the system utilises speech recognition technology to transcribe proceedings in the plenary hall. The system then generates 'Zone' files, which undergo a series of edits before being published on the parliament's website.
The language model behind the speech recognition has been trained on over 1600 hours of recordings, and the error rate was initially estimated to be around 15-55%. However, the actual error rate fluctuates based on the speaker's clarity, background noise, and recording quality. While human editors are still required for quality control, the workflow has significantly accelerated. The first draft of the stenogram is available roughly 15-20 minutes after a session has started, with the final version accessible within an hour of the session's conclusion.
Challenges and Solutions
Although the technological transition has been largely successful, it has not been devoid of challenges. The initial system was plagued with compatibility issues, particularly with web browsers. Additionally, there was a human resource crisis as the older generation of stenographers were retiring, and younger people were not interested in this line of work.
The new AI system addressed these issues effectively. It not only overcame technical limitations but also mitigated the human resource crisis by automating the time-consuming tasks, thereby making the roles more engaging for younger employees. Furthermore, the system proved to be invaluable during the COVID-19 pandemic, facilitating remote work and maintaining legislative functions without disruption.
Extending the AI Ecosystem
The successful implementation of AI in the Estonian Parliament has paved the way for other applications. Automated subtitles were integrated into remote plenary systems and YouTube video streams, even as YouTube itself does not yet support Estonian language subtitles. National television broadcasts have also adopted similar technologies, demonstrating the scalability and adaptability of these AI solutions.
Conclusion
The Estonian case presents a compelling example of how technology, specifically AI, can be harnessed to modernise parliamentary operations and public services at large. While challenges remain, particularly concerning error rates and the ongoing need for human oversight, the benefits are substantial. Not only has the new system streamlined legislative procedures, but it has also opened doors for further technological advancements. As the world grapples with dwindling resources and increasing demands, Estonia serves as a beacon, illuminating the possibilities and advantages of embracing a digital future.