National Self-Perception and Supranational Regulation: A Topic Modelling of Dutch Governmental Artificial Intelligence Discourse

In this article, the author examines the interaction between the perception of the Netherlands by its policymakers and supranational regulation in the context of the country’s artificial intelligence (AI) policy. The relevance of the study is due to the increasing role of AI in international relations and the adoption of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act in 2025, which raises the question about the influence of national factors on the development of AI strategies in EU countries. Based on topic modeling and manual coding of ten official Dutch government documents from 2013 until 2030, the comparative relevance of key topics in government discourse – AI regulation, opportunities and risks associated with using AI, its applications in various fields and the image that the country intends to project in relation to AI-is identified. The results show that the Dutch AI policy combines elements of national identity, such as high-tech prowess, expertise in high technologies, and the desire to become a leader in this field, with European values of cooperation and ethical use of AI. At the same time, characteristics such as openness and small size of Dutch identity are not reflected in the Dutch discourse on AI, which distinguishes it from other areas of foreign policy. The study confirms that the AI policy is shaped by both national characteristics and supranational trends of the EU, which is important for understanding mechanisms of policymaking and predicting foreign policy decisions. The novelty of this study lies in its constructivist approach to analysing high-tech policies through the lens of self-perception of the nation.

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