Question

Read the passage given below and answer the question that follows:

The deployment of automated decision-making systems within public benefit administration has increasingly redefined the operational boundaries of discretionary governance across modern administrative states. While proponents argue that algorithmic processing streamlines resource allocation, mitigates bureaucratic delays, and reduces human prejudice in routine entitlements, empirical evaluations reveal structural vulnerabilities in automated service delivery. Algorithms trained on historical administrative datasets frequently codify past institutional biases, resulting in systemic exclusions of marginalized socio-economic cohorts from essential state support. Moreover, the proprietary nature of commercial software suites utilized by government agencies creates an opacity barrier, rendering automated eligibility determinations resistant to traditional judicial review and administrative appeal. Addressing these challenges requires more than localized technological refinements or post-hoc software patches. Effective administrative governance demands institutionalizing mandatory, independent algorithmic impact assessments prior to public deployment, alongside establishing statutory frameworks that guarantee citizens the right to meaningful human intervention and transparent explanations. Without robust democratic oversight and legally binding regulatory accountability, the integration of artificial intelligence into public administration risks substituting fair administrative discretion with opaque technological determinism, thereby eroding public trust in democratic institutions.

Which of the following best expresses the central theme of the passage?