AI and Digitization in Government
Advanced artificial intelligence—including generative AI—has been deployed quickly across all levels of public administration in the past several years. Whether routine functions are being automated or machine learning/large language models are employed, administrative bodies of all kinds are asking fundamental questions about how this next generation of technology reshapes the relationship between governmental entities and the people they serve. Some tools have delivered meaningful improvements in efficiency, accuracy and reach; others have introduced new risks, advanced inequities or simply failed to achieve goals. This webinar series will use evidence from real-world deployment to examine how (generative) AI and similar digital tools are performing across a range of public administration contexts and what governments around the world are learning from experience.
Catching Up: AI and Digital Government in a Global Context
This webinar took place on July 16.
Countries like Estonia, Singapore and Denmark have transformed the relationship between government and citizen through ambitious investments in digital infrastructure that make public services faster, more transparent and more accessible. Gone are the days when you stand in line for hours with a paper form; citizens instead can access their own public services, complete processes themselves and address their needs within minutes at the touch of a button (or two). What drives the programs’ successes and how much of it is transferable to the American context, addressing large populations, multiple languages, socioeconomic barriers, varying regulatory environments and more? Our experts will examine leading digital government programs from around the world, the structural advantages and persistent challenges that shape their outcomes, and the lessons for public administrators in different cultural, legal and political environments.
Speakers:
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There’s an Algorithm for That: AI in the Fight Against Fraud
July 16 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Beyond what you may notice in news headlines, fraudulent behaviors against government entities are real and impose enormous financial and social costs on public institutions and the communities they serve. These bad actors divert meaningful resources from critical social services with damaging effects on recipients and erode public trust, further undermining our democratic systems. Some agencies and programs have turned to digital tools such as AI-driven anomaly detection, automated audit systems and open contracting platforms to detect, deter and expose these abuses. Our experts will examine the digital programs and platforms that combat fraud and corruption in government, evaluate the conditions under which these tools succeed and consider the ethical framework of using automated systems to monitor public officials, programs and institutions.
Speakers:
Irakli Petriashvili,
Research Associate, University of Sussex
More details coming soon!
Left Behind? Rural Communities and the Digital Divide
July 28 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Rural communities operate with fewer resources, smaller administrative workforces and infrastructure constraints that ex-urban, suburban and urban areas cannot fathom, including broadband shortages, intergovernmental limitations, relevant skill sets and more. But AI and digital tools represent a genuine opportunity: automating routine tasks, extending staff reach and modernizing service delivery in communities that long have been underserved by analog systems. All of this exacerbates the “digital divide” noticed across the country and creates yet another have/have not dichotomy. As federal investment pulls back—or disappears entirely—the question facing rural administrators and policymakers is increasingly urgent: Can these communities realistically keep pace with the digital transformation reshaping the rest of the country and, if not, what do they do about it? Our experts will discuss how public administrators in rural communities engage with digital tools and explore whether strategic implementation could close the digitization gap.
Launch and Learn: Evaluating AI Implementation in Public Administration
August 11 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET
Most discussions about AI in public administration center on hypotheticals rather than realities. While experts, politicians and think tanks debate the merits and drawbacks of AI technology for public use, most agencies are rolling out tools and technology—with or without a framework for their use. After several years of real-world deployment across a range of functions, from benefits administration and workforce services to public safety and urban planning, a clearer picture is emerging for how AI impacts outcomes for practitioners and their communities. Our experts will take a rigorous, evidence-based look at lessons learned from AI adoption in public spaces, examine the contexts and conditions under which these technologies have delivered (or not) on their promise, reflect on the impact these tools are having on the workforce and explore whether what boundaries should be considered.