Artificial intelligence as a Lever for Intellectual Capital in Public Administration

This study explores the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing intellectual capital within the Italian Public Administration (PA). In a context marked by digital transition, innovation pressures, and systemic reform, AI emerges not only as a technological enabler but as a strategic catalyst for knowledge creation, skill development, and organizational renewal. By adopting a mixed-method quali-quantitative approach, the research investigates the intersection of AI and human capital through the analysis of 42 strategic policy documents (2020–2024) and 11 INPS “Master Executive” calls (2014–2025). The qualitative analysis identifies prevailing institutional narratives, highlighting the increasing integration of AI, digital competencies, and knowledge management within public sector transformation agendas. Quantitative data—such as the exponential growth of public training investments and scholarship distribution—reinforce these trends, offering empirical evidence of a coordinated strategy aligning AI deployment with human capital development. The findings underscore a paradigm shift in how PA conceptualizes and operationalizes training. Notably, national policy reforms have redefined training as a performance indicator, expanded access to structured learning pathways, and promoted the use of AI-driven tools for recruitment, upskilling, and decision-making. The study also discusses the ethical and organizational challenges posed by AI adoption, advocating for transparent governance, inter-institutional collaboration, and continuous learning cultures. The research contributes to the literature by addressing a gap in empirical analyses on the relationship between AI and intellectual capital in the public sector. It proposes a new interpretive model that integrates technological, organizational, and human dimensions of innovation. It offers policy guidance for public managers aiming to align AI with capacity-building strategies. The study positions AI as a lever for building a more resilient, efficient, and equitable PA—one in which human and digital capital synergize to generate enduring public value.