In an era where Greece's digital transition is accelerating at rates that would have seemed surreal a decade ago, the Minister of Digital Governance, Dimitris Papastergiou, poses a critical philosophical and practical question: What is the price of speed? During his recent interventions, Mr. Papastergiou highlighted the dual nature of Artificial Intelligence (AI), describing it as a tool that offers an "easy and fast truth," which, however, does not necessarily coincide with objective reality.
This stance comes at a time when the Greek state is integrating AI into the core of its operations, with the digital assistant mAigov being a prime example. The success of digitalization is indisputable, but the Minister is sounding the alarm regarding the uncritical acceptance of results produced by algorithms, reminding us that technology must remain under the control of human judgment.
The Illusion of Algorithmic Authority
Mr. Papastergiou's main argument focuses on the fact that Large Language Models (LLMs) are designed to produce probabilistic outcomes rather than necessarily true data. The "easy truth" he refers to is the answer that looks correct, is well-written, and is delivered in seconds, but may lack depth or contain so-called AI "hallucinations."
For public administration, this poses significant risks. If a citizen or a public official relies solely on an AI response to make an administrative decision without cross-referencing, the consequences could be legal, financial, or social. Mr. Papastergiou emphasizes that AI is not intended to replace responsibility, but to assist it. "Real truth" often requires the synthesis of multiple sources, an understanding of context, and ethical judgment—elements that current technology struggles to fully replicate.
mAigov: A Real-Time Experiment
Greece was among the first countries in Europe to implement an AI-based digital assistant for citizen service. mAigov has already handled millions of queries, drastically reducing waiting times and bureaucratic friction. However, its operation is based on a closed and controlled data environment (gov.gr) to minimize errors.
The Minister points out that the success of such tools depends on the quality of input data. "If our data is incomplete or incorrect, AI will produce incorrect truths with great confidence," he has characteristically stated. The Ministry's strategy now focuses on cleaning up public databases so that AI stands on solid ground. Digitalization is no longer just about converting paper to PDF, but about creating structured information that can be correctly read and analyzed by machines.
The Ethical Dimension and the European Framework
The discussion about AI's "truth" is inextricably linked to the European Union's AI Act. Mr. Papastergiou underlines that Greece is fully aligned with European mandates for "human-centric" Artificial Intelligence. This means transparency in algorithms, protection of personal data, and, above all, the human ability to intervene and correct the system.
According to the Ministry's analysis, the challenge for the coming years is citizen education. "Digital literacy" is no longer just about how we use a tablet, but how we evaluate the information the screen gives us. Mr. Papastergiou promotes the idea of a state that is "smart" but also "honest," recognizing the limits of technology. AI can accelerate justice, health, and education, but the final signature must remain human, ensuring that the "easy truth" will never replace the essential democratic process and the reliability of institutions.
