Human-centered barriers to the introduction of AI in the public sector of Russia and China
January 23, 2026 The HSE University International Laboratory for Digital Transformation in Public Administration (the Laboratory) and Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) presented the results of a comparative study of human-centered barriers to the introduction of AI in public administration in Russia and China.
The purpose of the research conducted by the laboratory was a systematic analysis of the obstacles related to the human factor that complicate the implementation of AI technologies in the public sector of the two countries. A comprehensive methodology was used in the work, including:
• Systematic review of literature in Russian, Chinese and English;
• bibliometric and network analysis of scientific publications;
• Comparative analysis of government strategies and regulations;
• qualitative research of discourses in the academic and expert environment.
During the report the Laboratory Leading Research Fellow Anna Sanina presented the differences in the discourse of scientific publications and regulatory legal acts on the topic of artificial intelligence. Ethics, human rights, and transparency dominate in English-language literature; government regulation and digital literacy prevail in Chinese discourse. Russian-language publications focus on regulatory and legal barriers, technological dependence, and personnel issues. In addition, the laboratory has developed and validated an integral index of barriers to the introduction of AI in the public sector, taking into account human-centered, technical, organizational and legal factors.
HUST researchers also made presentations at the seminar. Speaker Nan Yancao showed a detailed analysis of the outline of the four articles presented in the research report and offered specific recommendations for strengthening them. It was suggested, in particular, to use mixed methods to study legal barriers, supplement the analysis of narratives about AI issues with official discourse, deepen thematic modeling and revise the format of the article on network analysis, considering the possibility of its integration with previous work or separate development.
The event was an important step in the development of the laboratory's international scientific cooperation. Following the discussion, the seminar participants agreed on a further work plan. The Russian laboratory team will coordinate the process and determine the first steps, including the selection of articles for early publication. Colleagues from China confirmed their readiness to fully support the project as experts and co-authors.
