AI‐Ready Bureaucracies? Assessing Capacity‐Building Approaches in European National AI Strategies

The global expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI) strategies is reshaping expectations about state capacity, yet the role of civil servants in this transition remains insufficiently theorized. This study examines how EU Member States address the civil service workforce in their national AI strategies, employing content and cluster analysis and comparing national approaches with guidance from EU institutions. Findings reveal that most strategies offer limited consideration of AI's implications for civil servants, and substantial cross‐country variation persists. Four strategy clusters are identified, emphasizing service improvement, skill development, talent recruitment, and partnerships for training. These patterns diverge notably from EU‐level recommendations, which prioritize systematic upskilling for civil servants. The analysis advances a framework for designing AI policies that better integrate civil servants' roles, reinforcing capacity building and supporting effective digital transformation across public administrations.