A new policy handbook shifts the conversation on artificial intelligence from how to use it to a harder question: how much of it should be trusted with consequential government decisions. "AI Policy Studies: National Strategy, Public Policy and Governance in the Generative AI Era," published by Ahn Do-hyun, a doctor of science and technology policy, arrives as generative AI reshapes decision-making in public administration and business.
The book poses three questions that public-sector leaders can no longer postpone. Should governments and companies accept AI-generated decisions at face value? Who bears responsibility when errors occur? And are citizens affected by AI-driven rulings guaranteed a meaningful right to appeal?
Current government-level AI training for civil servants has focused largely on practical skills - writing prompts, summarizing reports and drafting responses to public inquiries. Ahn said proficiency in using AI alone is insufficient to address the deeper changes AI is bringing to public administration and policymaking.
Where the major economies stand
The crux, Ahn argues, lies not in the speed of technology adoption but in the regulatory and institutional frameworks that govern it. The book compares AI policies across eight countries and regions, including the United States, the EU and China. The US leans toward rapid adoption, the EU centers its approach on regulation, and China tightens control through technical standards. Drawing on those contrasts, the book maps out the policy directions South Korea could pursue.
For government professionals navigating this terrain, the AI Learning Path for Policy Makers offers structured grounding in the same governance frameworks the book examines. The book approaches AI from three angles at once: as a subject requiring governance, as an administrative tool for government use, and as an environment shaping national strategy.
What the handbook covers
Spanning seven parts, 12 sections and 66 chapters, the book covers AI framework legislation, personal data protection, copyright, liability principles, sector-by-sector AI transformation, policy design and evaluation, and automated administrative decisions and due process. It also includes 10 case studies, 52 theoretical analyses and 12 practical appendices - the full range of issues policymakers are likely to encounter.
Ahn said a government's competitiveness in the AI era depends less on how quickly it adopts new technology than on how well it embeds that technology within the principles of due process, equality and accountability. He has spent 26 years working across the private and public sectors at the intersection of technology and institutional governance, including service as a local secretary at the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority, where he handled investment attraction.
Ahn said he expects demand for specialists in AI for Government to grow significantly. As public institutions establish AI governance units and companies face mounting regulatory compliance needs, the field will require professionals who understand not just the technology but the policy and institutional frameworks surrounding it.
Why this matters for government professionals
Civil servants and public administrators are already using AI tools. The gap, as Ahn's book makes plain, is in the governance layer - knowing when an AI output is admissible, who owns a flawed decision, and what recourse citizens have. For anyone drafting AI usage policies inside a public agency, designing training programs, or building compliance checklists, the book's framework-level approach provides a reference point that skills-focused training does not. The liability and due-process questions it raises will land on government desks long before courts settle them.
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