How Does Artificial Intelligence Drive the Optimization of Public Services Structural? ——Complex Intermediary Mechanisms Based on the Digital Ecosystem

Against the backdrop of the "Digital China" strategy, the digital ecosystem has emerged as a strategic fulcrum for transforming public service delivery from a supply-oriented to a demand-oriented paradigm, with artificial intelligence (AI) serving as the core engine of structural optimization of public services. However, existing research has rarely examined the complex causal mechanisms by which AI, through configurations of digital ecosystem elements, shapes the structural optimization of public services. Based on panel data from 30 Chinese provinces covering 2019–2023, this study integrates the configurational perspective with digital ecosystem theory to develop a systematic“technology input–system integration–value output”framework. Employing an advanced mediation model that combines dynamic qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) and regression methods, the research elucidates the pathways and process mechanisms by which AI drives the structural optimization of public services. The findings indicate that AI significantly promotes the structural optimization of public services, achieving multi-level upgrades through three distinct configurations of the digital ecosystem: (1) ecologically mature type (an advanced, all-encompassing development model), (2) administratively driven type (a government-led approach), and (3) socially empowered type (an inclusive development pathway).This study clarifies the mechanism by which AI and the digital ecosystem collaboratively reshape the architecture of public services, highlighting that achieving public service modernization requires not only strengthening he development and application of AI technologies but also fostering a compatible digital ecosystem. Such synergy creates a virtuous cycle of technological empowerment and systemic optimization, ultimately maximizing public value. The results provide empirical evidence and forward-looking insights for inclusive, digitally integrated governance in the era of intelligent technologies. JEL: H83; O33