TLDR;
- Governments are adopting AI and generative AI to boost workforce productivity by automating routine tasks and freeing employees for more creative work.
- Agentic AI, capable of autonomous decision-making, is expected to take on a significant share of government work within a few years.
- Workforce readiness remains a challenge, with many public servants lacking adequate AI training and skills.
- International partnerships like the UK-EU AI collaboration highlight the importance of global cooperation in AI innovation and governance.
Governments worldwide are adopting AI, especially generative and agentic AI, to enhance public sector productivity by automating routine tasks and freeing up employees for higher-value, creative work. A Tuesday Global Government Forum report reveals this shift is already underway but faces significant hurdles in workforce readiness and governance.
AI’s Expanding Role in Governments
Public agencies have long struggled with staff shortages and rising workloads. AI is increasingly seen as a solution, not for competitive edge like in the private sector, but for operational efficiency and improved citizen engagement.
As per the report, Generative AI (GenAI), which creates new content from data, has been particularly helpful. Governments are using it to draft policies, respond to queries, and process documents at scale, leading to cost savings and increased employee satisfaction. However, public sector AI adoption still lags behind other industries. Many civil servants lack familiarity with AI tools, and fewer than half report receiving adequate AI-related training. This skills gap is a major obstacle to scaling AI use in government.
Agentic AI: The Next Leap
Beyond current uses lies agentic AI, a more advanced, autonomous form capable of handling complex, multi-step tasks with minimal human input. Unlike traditional AI tools, agentic systems learn, adapt, and make decisions to fulfill defined goals. Experts predict that within a few years, agentic AI could handle a substantial portion of daily government operations.
This could revolutionize public administration. From reducing errors to speeding up decision-making, agentic AI has the potential to significantly improve service delivery and productivity. But it also raises challenges: ensuring ethical use, maintaining human oversight, and defining which decisions should remain human-led.
Governments will need strong governance frameworks to address these issues, including rules for transparency, data privacy, and accountability.
Preparing the Workforce
Notably, adopting AI isn’t just about deploying technology, it’s also about preparing the people who will use it. Building an AI-ready workforce means demystifying AI concepts, addressing employee fears, and creating tools that are easy to use. Advances in no-code and low-code platforms are enabling non-technical staff to interact with AI, helping democratize access to data and innovation.
To fully leverage AI, public agencies must invest in training and continuous learning. This will help employees not only adapt to new tools but also take a more active role in shaping AI’s application in public service.
Policy and Global Cooperation
Alongside workforce preparation, governments are drafting policies to guide responsible AI use. These emphasize ethics, transparency, and workforce impacts to ensure AI serves public interests.
International cooperation is also accelerating. A UK-EU partnership last week aims to connect UK researchers with European supercomputing power, supporting advancements in healthcare, climate science, and more. Such collaborations underline the global nature of AI development and the need for shared frameworks and governance models.
That said, while AI could transform government operations, governments must not only embrace the technology but also prepare their workforce, update policies, and engage globally. With the right investments and safeguards, AI can help build a more efficient, responsive, and innovative public sector.
