Capacidad institucional para la adopción responsable de inteligencia artificial en el sector público ecuatoriano: Desafíos y oportunidades para la gestión pública

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public sector presents opportunities to transform administrative processes and services, but it demands institutional capacities that ensure responsible, transparent, and sustainable use. This study aimed to analyze the institutional readiness of the Ecuadorian public sector for the responsible adoption of AI. A qualitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and exploratory-descriptive study was conducted. Twenty key informants from various Ecuadorian public institutions were selected using purposive sampling. The results revealed uneven and evolving institutional readiness. While institutions possess basic digital infrastructure, receptive staff, and initial experience with AI tools, they exhibit limitations in interoperability, specialized training, planning, and systematization of AI adoption. The main gaps were concentrated in governance, the absence of specific protocols, data protection, transparency, human oversight, and the definition of responsibilities. The study concludes that the responsible adoption of AI requires the joint strengthening of technological, human, organizational, and regulatory capacities. The main challenge lies in bridging the gap between emerging technologies and the institutional maturity needed to integrate AI securely, traceably, and in a way that strengthens Ecuadorian public administration.