The Crisis of Perceived Legitimacy of pre-service officials in AI Bureaucracy for Value-rationality

Abstract: This study empirically investigates the impact of AI bureaucracy's instrumental traits on the value-rational expectations of pre-service public officials. While AI maximizes efficiency through technical consistency, its mechanical impersonality risks triggering a crisis of perceived legitimacy and psychological alienation. A survey of 169 undergraduate students majoring in Public Administration revealed that perceptions of AI’s impersonality (Mean=3.80) significantly exceed those of its consistency (Mean=3.10). Regression analysis identified mechanical impersonality as the primary driver of the demand for public communication (β=.512, ρ<.001), While Instrumental Consistency t notably increased the need for Ethical Accountability (β=.428, ρ<.001). Building on the framework of digital inclusion proposed by Song (2022), this research argues that AI-driven alienation necessitates a transition from instrumental efficiency to a Hybrid Governance Model. The findings suggest that administrative legitimacy in the digital era depends on anchoring AI in value rationality, prioritizing transparency and human-centric accountability over mere technical optimization.