Anastasija Nikiforova is an Associate Professor of Applied AI and Information Systems at the University of Tartu (Institute of Computer Science, Chair of Software Engineering). Her research focuses on data governance, digital transformation, and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI). She examines AI’s role in optimizing processes, improving data governance and quality, and addressing ethical implications within (public) data and digital ecosystems. Her work also includes developing AI-powered user–system interaction tools aimed at enhancing user experience and decision-making. By exploring the intersection of technology, society, and policy, her research contributes to the resilience, sustainability, and inclusivity of complex socio-technical systems.

She collaborates with the Austrian KNOW Center on advancing research in Green AI and serves as an expert for the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre on the future of proactive public services. She serves on the editorial boards of several academic journals, including International Journal of Information Management (IJIM), Government Information Quarterly (GIQ), IEEE Transactions on Technology and Society, and Data & Policy (Cambridge University Press). She is also a track chair for leading conferences in information systems, AI, and public administration, such as IFIP EGOV-CEDEM-EPART, the International Conference on Digital Government Research (dg.o), HICSS, ICA, and workshops at ECAI, IJCAI, PRICAI, and CBI-EDOC etc.

Anastasija is a part of European Open Science Cloud “FAIR metrics and digital objects” Task Force, an associate member of the Latvian Open Technology Association, a member of IFIP WG 8.5 on ICT and Public Administration, the Digital Government Society (including its Chapter on Governing Smart Sustainable Cities), and Women in AI among others.

Imagine the story of Prometheus, the Titan who gave fire to humanity. Fire transformed civilization - it lit our homes, fueled innovation, and enabled progress. Yet, fire also burned, destroyed, and caused harm when misused. Prometheus' gift was both a blessing and a curse with its impact depended not on the fire itself, but on how humans wielded it.

Artificial Intelligence is the fire of our era: powerful, transformative, and full of promise. But in the public sector, its impact hinges not on the technology itself, but on the manner of its adoption. Responsible AI is therefore not only about whether systems are “ethical by design,” but about governance, i.e., whether public administrations adopt AI in ways that uphold legality, accountability, fairness, sustainability, and inclusion. Without such governance, AI adoption risks becoming our “monster”: amplifying bias, eroding trust, and undermining democratic legitimacy.

This keynote explores that duality. Drawing on my ongoing research, we will unpack the most pressing data-related challenges to responsible adoption, highlighting the institutional and governance “symptoms” that signal high-risk deployments. Particular attention will be given to public data ecosystems as both enablers and bottlenecks of responsible adoption, with challenges mapped across data lifecycle phases and data roles. The keynote will conclude by outlining a forward-looking agenda and inviting reflection on how governments and researchers can strengthen public data ecosystems to ensure AI adoption fulfills its promise.