Published: 07/10/2025

Representatives of business and NGOs note that although the state continues to play an important role in the digitization process, the responsibility for formulating digital policies and designing technologies is increasingly shifting beyond its structures. International technology corporations are not only providers of technology but are also increasingly actively shaping the future directions of state digitization by formulating their own visions of the digital future. Polish non-governmental organizations are likewise actively participating in consultations, producing expert analyses, and influencing digital policies by offering alternative visions of national development — distinct from those of the state and corporations. At the same time, both NGOs and the business sector view the actions of public administration in the field of digitization positively, particularly its openness to dialogue. However, they also point out several serious issues, including a lack of coordination in digital policy-making, low institutional stability, and the absence of a long-term strategy. These are the main conclusions of a report by the Polish Economic Institute titled “Alternative Visions of Poland’s Technological Development”.

The report “Alternative Visions of Poland’s Technological Development” is a continuation of the 2024 PIE study, which culminated in the report “Poland’s Technological Future in the Imaginations of Decision-Makers.” That earlier report described the visions of the future, the concept of the state, and the attitudes toward technology among senior management in the Polish public administration.

The state as assessed by NGOs and big tech companies

Representatives of the private sector generally approve of the administration’s approach to technology and digitalization, appreciating its willingness to engage in dialogue and include them in consultation processes.

“The technology industry wants to be a partner supporting the achievement of the state’s strategic goals in the area of digitalization, as well as helping to fill resource and skills gaps within the public administration. While respondents from the third sector point to the risk of global technology corporations taking over state functions, representatives of big tech companies want to cooperate with the state and emphasize that it should make use of proven, high-quality solutions provided by the private market,” notes Krystian Łukasik, an advisor in the digital economy team at PIE.

Critical remarks from the business community directed at the administration mainly point to the lack of a coherent, cross-sectoral, and long-term vision for the country’s digital transformation, as well as the absence of a single center coordinating digital policy. Businesses also note that government digitalization strategies tend to be too general, and that digital policy itself is often instrumentalized to build political capital rather than serving as a long-term foundation for modernizing the state. There is also a strong concern about excessive regulation.

Representatives of NGOs, on the other hand, point to the dominant role of the market and technology corporations in shaping the public digitalization agenda. They believe that the state has a low level of trust in the third sector, which limits its real influence on the shaping of digital public policies. NGO representatives also express concerns about the uncritical use of technology by the state. In their view, the state’s actions often focus mainly on providing equipment and infrastructure, while neglecting education and social reflection on the use of technology and its consequences.

“Social organizations serve an expert function by providing the state and the public with knowledge that is not included in mainstream discourse. For many organizations, research serves as a starting point for dialogue with decision-makers. In the context of the growing dominance of corporate interests, NGOs aim to play a balancing role to counteract the asymmetry of influence, so as to include the social perspective and public interest in Polish political practice,” notes Krystian Łukasik, an advisor from the digital economy team at PIE.

As potential ways to address the identified problems, surveyed business representatives propose, among others, pre-consultations, which would allow the industry’s voice to be included earlier in the law-making process. This would help avoid the introduction of excessive regulations, which businesses fear the most. NGO representatives, on the other hand, emphasize the need for transparency in cooperation with business and the systematic inclusion of their expert knowledge in the creation of digital policies, for instance, by increasing the number of public procurements for social expertise conducted by NGOs.

Visions of the future

Respondents from both surveyed groups believe that the future of technological development and digitalization processes in Poland is difficult to predict, and that the changes observed are likely to be gradual rather than revolutionary. Nevertheless, both groups point to similar opportunities and threats.

Among the opportunities associated with technological development, representatives of business and NGOs mention, among others, the potential shortening of the work week (thanks to automation and AI tools), the development of digital public services (especially in the area of healthcare), and the transformation of scientific research. 

On the threat side, issues such as technological unemployment resulting from the development of AI and automation have emerged, along with the negative effects of social media (disinformation and social polarization, negative impact on mental health, addiction), as well as the lack of transparency in algorithms used in recruitment processes or decisions made by financial institutions.

Different perspectives of business and NGOs on technological development

Representatives of the business sector tend to view technology as a neutral tool with enormous potential to address key challenges — from efficiency, through health and education, to public services and climate change. Non-governmental organizations, on the other hand, approach technological development with considerable caution, arguing that it is not inherently socially beneficial but often serves market interests and reinforces power and control. In their view, technology does not respond to real social needs but rather creates them, subordinating itself to the logic of profit and reproducing existing power structures. NGO representatives criticize the dominant model of technological development, which favors the concentration of power and capital while failing to solve — and even deepening — social problems. Members of the third sector believe that technology is not neutral, as it is designed by specific actors with particular interests.

“In business, the prevailing approach assumes the rapid implementation of innovations while addressing any potential side effects only after they occur. According to representatives of technology corporations, excessive focus on negative scenarios hinders progress. A better solution is to build tools, partnerships, and test environments that allow for continuous adaptation to change. Representatives of NGOs take a distinctly more critical stance, emphasizing that technology is not neutral but designed by specific entities with particular interests in mind. The key question, therefore, is not how we use technology, but who creates it, for what purpose, and whose needs it reflects,” notes Krystian Łukasik.

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The Polish Economic Institute is a public economic think tank with a history dating back to 1928. The Institute prepares reports, analyses, and recommendations concerning key areas of the economy and social life in Poland, taking into account the international context. Its research areas include primarily macroeconomics, energy, the global economy, the digital economy, behavioral economics, and social processes.

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