工具抑或机制:技术治理的基本形态及其限度

The Tool or Mechanism:The Basic Forms and Limits of Technological Governance

随着互联网、大数据、人工智能等技术被广泛应用于国家治理的各种场景,技术治理逐渐成为一个引人热议的学术议题。从技术嵌入治理的基本形式来看,技术治理可以分为作为治理工具的技术治理和作为治理机制的技术治理两种基本形态。它们或通过技术工具延伸权威主体的触角,增强国家照看社会的能力,或借助治理技术拓展国家的权力网络,以技术优势实现治理效能。但是,工具性技术与机制性技术的脱节,使得当前的技术治理存在规避风险与责任、简化现实和集中权力的“技术异化”问题。对此,国家应当注重以系统工程学的视角重新审视技术治理,以技术工具与治理机制的有效融合,助推基层治理现代化。

With the extensive use of such technologies as the Internet,Big Data and Artificial Intelligence in various scenarios of governance,technological governance gradually becomes an equally hot academic issue.From the perspective of the basic forms of technology embedded in governance,technological governance can be divided into two basic forms:governance using technology as a tool and governance using technology as a mechanism.Technological tools are used to extend the tentacles of the authorities,strenghten the state’s capacity to look after society as a whole,or expand the powers of the state with the aid of governance technology,eventually to achieve governance efficiency with technology advantages.However,due to disconnection between instrumental technology and mechanism technology,the current technological governance has the problem of“technological alienation”,which avoids risks and responsibilities,simplifies reality and centralizes power.In this regard,the state should pay attention to re-examine the technology governance from the perspective of systems engineering,and promote the modernization of grass-roots governance by the effective integration of technology tools and governance mechanism.