Social participation as an ethical criterion for AI governance in public administration

Abstract This study examines social participation as an ethical criterion for validating artificial intelligence (AI) tools in public administration, focusing on its role in fostering transparency and equity. An integrative review of 30 articles (2018–2024), analyzed the literature using Habermas’s communicative action and Rawls’s justice as fairness frameworks, supplemented by decolonial perspectives. The findings confirm that social participation is critical for mitigating algorithmic bias, enhancing transparency, and addressing inequalities in AI systems. However, practical implementation remains limited, with Global North perspectives dominating ethical guidelines and marginalizing Global South voices. This study proposes a hybrid governance model integrating rational dialogue and equity to legitimize AI in public administration. It advocates for digital deliberative forums to amplify marginalized communities and decolonial approaches to address digital and sociocultural disparities. Future research should employ longitudinal case studies and mixed methods to assess the impact of participation on AI ethics in diverse global contexts.