Strategic Preparedness for AI Adoption in Romanian Public Institutions

Abstract

The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies in public institutions is increasingly seen as a critical factor in improving service delivery and organizational efficiency. However, the strategic preparedness of public institutions for implementing AI remains underexplored, particularly in the context of Romania. This paper presents a quantitative survey-based study, with respondents from Romanian public institutions, examining the level of strategic preparedness for AI adoption and the factors that influence it, through the lens of Institutional Theory and the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework. The findings reveal a significant gap between institutional digitalization strategies and actual AI implementation, with preparedness being low and fragmented. Key factors determining preparedness include the presence of a formal digital strategy and access to multiple funding sources, while human-centric factors like leadership roles and private sector experience were not statistically significant predictors of adoption. This study contributes to a broader understanding of AI adoption in the public sector by demonstrating that strategic planning and diverse funding, rather than individual human capital, are the primary drivers of meaningful change.