INTELLIGENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN THE EU DIGITAL SOCIETY: CORE APPLICATION DOMAINS AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS

This article addresses the growing fragmentation in research on intelligent information systems (IIS) within the EU digital society by developing a structured, empirically grounded framework that differentiates IIS according to application domains, data dependencies, governance risks, and strategic deployment trajectories.The study responds to the challenge that existing literature often treats AI-driven public-sector systems as a homogeneous phenomenon, despite substantial variation in decision impact, data sensitivity, and institutional exposure across domains.The research is based on systematic structuring of empirical evidence into two analytical instruments: a benchmark table mapping core application domain and a cluster typology grouping system by decision impact, autonomy, and governance exposure.This approach enables cross-domain comparison without reducing institutional diversity.The findings demonstrate that IIS adoption in the EU is concentrated in service delivery domains facing scalability and capacity constraints, where citizen interaction data dominate and trust, inclusion, and procedural fairness risks intensify.By contrast, administrative and cybersecurity systems exhibit higher levels of automation and institutional maturity, with governance risks largely technical in nature.Policy intelligence systems remain constrained by evidence robustness, while digital identity and smart city infrastructures function as foundational layers requiring standardized governance.The cluster analysis reveals distinct governance logics, underscoring that IIS cannot be governed through a single regulatory or strategic lens. 1702The study is limited by its reliance on synthesized evidence rather than largescale, longitudinal EU deployment data, and by conceptually defined clusters that require empirical validation.These limitations can be addressed through future crosscountry benchmarking and the development of standardized performance and trust indicators.The results offer practical value for policymakers and administrators by supporting differentiated, evidence-based governance strategies tailored to system impact and data sensitivity.The article's originality lies in integrating domain benchmarking with cluster-based strategic analysis, advancing comparative and operational understanding of IIS in the EU digital society.