Public dashboards in the AI era: a scoping review of socio-technical governance systems

Abstract Purpose As governments increasingly rely on data-driven decision-making, dashboards have emerged as critical infrastructure for mediating public information, while advances in artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping how such information is collected, analysed, interpreted, and communicated. However, existing research on public dashboards remains largely rooted in traditional business intelligence and data visualisation paradigms and does not yet fully reflect the implications of AI integration. This study examines the current state of research on public dashboards and identifies emerging research directions. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review was conducted using five academic databases. A total of 108 articles were analysed using a data lifecycle framework to examine dashboard conceptualisations, functions, AI integration, and public values across the data lifecycle. Findings The findings show that research on public dashboards is growing and is increasingly published in journal outlets. However, dashboards are primarily conceptualised as visual interfaces, with limited attention to broader data-lifecycle processes, public-value tensions, and governance implications. Although attention to AI is increasing, its adoption remains concentrated in analytical functions, while AI-supported interpretation, communication, and interaction receive comparatively little attention. Consequently, AI is primarily positioned as a tool for enhancing analytical capacity rather than supporting governanceinteractions, and the literature gives limited attention to the societal, ethical, and political implications of AI-enabled dashboards. Originality/value This article identifies public dashboard research as an emerging interdisciplinary field and argues that dashboards have become essential infrastructures for mediating public data in the AI era. It calls for a shift beyond predominantly technical and quantitative traditions towards more critical, qualitative, and theory-informed approaches to understanding dashboards as socio-technical governance systems. Such a perspective highlights the potential of dashboards not only to support data analysis and decision-making but also to facilitate participation, deliberation, and collective decision-making in increasingly AI-enabled governance contexts.