The Revolutionary Role of Next Gen AI in the Public Sector

Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have come a long way over the last decade and have already started to transform the way we look at things. For example, AI has allowed organizations to improve operational efficiency and productivity while lowering costs. We can already see the long-term potential of AI in creating value for societies and economies around the globe. Public sector agencies are gearing up to use AI solutions for designing better policies and making faster decisions, enabling personalized and tailored engagement with constituents, and transforming the overall service experience.

However, despite its enormous potential benefits to deliver missions, operationalizing AI in the public sector is not easy. The evolving AI field (Deep learning, large language models, Generative AI) is complex and has a steep learning curve. Its purpose and applicability within the public sector remain sensitive and unique, presenting several challenges and limitations pertaining to societal and environmental outcomes. Governed by well-defined AI strategies, data infrastructure maturity, prioritized key use cases, skill sets and with easier access to sophisticated tools, public sector organizations can take a proactive approach to leveraging AI solutions to redefine their operations while addressing any privacy, security, and ethical risks AI technologies may present.^[1]

Let us delve deeper into the revolutionary role AI can play for the public sector and how agencies can navigate their AI adoption initiatives.

Public Sector AI Opportunities

Public sector organizations around the world have started developing AI policies and regulations to help “future proof” AI solutions for their citizens and harness its potential across programs and services. Advanced natural language modeling and generative AI have captured imagination, providing different ways to revolutionize the way agencies would interact with their citizens and deliver societal services. To this effect, public sector organizations across the globe are Investing in AI solutions as a priority.

Although policy decisions like increasing investment and budgets in AI research or infrastructure development are useful, to create an immediate impact of AI in the public sector requires adoption of a common operating model that can simplify data access and enhance data sovereignty across stakeholders, lower technology overhead, automate simple repetitive tasks, employ pre-trained and explainable AI models as building blocks for faster prototyping and to drive outcomes that are trustworthy, transparent, ethical and accountable.

Recent explosion of digital data and easily deployable cloud solutions to democratize the data computational power helps make AI applications thrive. Public sector agencies can readily take the advantage of a range of AI solution to help them function better and smarter, including:

Process Simplification to Reduce Administrative Burdens and Increase Productivity Gain

The biggest and immediate benefit of evolving AI solutions like GenAI is in incorporating “machine ambiguity” into business operations and decision-making (a paradigm shift from RPA). This can help to automate and perform a set of tasks to assist in achieving the same (or better) business outcomes. For example, generation of RFP documents for different procurement types, generating test-case scenarios when there is a lack of data, and developing intelligent chatbots that understand natural language. This can shift government agencies' focus from high-volume, low-value work to high-value work for improved efficiency and in delivering quality services.

Impactful Policy Making

The responsible use of Large Language Model (LLM) driven AI and data science solutions can assist policymakers in all sectors of research and development of more thoughtful policies. These policies can have more accurate impact and guided outcomes that are not only data-driven but also more human-centered, trustworthy, transparent, ethical, and accountable.

Improved Constituent Digital Interactions

Augment citizen facing services with end-to-end digital self-service capabilities—such as intuitive search and interactions via chats, online applications (unemployment insurance, driver license, vehicle registration, etc.), registry services (birth, death), case management, contract management, recruitment process, personalized healthcare delivery, etc. will make government interactions seamless and less time-consuming.

Improved Risk Management

Security is one of the most critical government functions AI can augment, in terms of both physical and cyber security. This includes a wide range of applications, including risk analysis, fraud management, detecting network vulnerabilities, unauthorized access monitoring, predictions, and many more for law enforcement, disaster prevention and recovery, and emergency responses.

Measuring the Value of AI in the Public Sector

Although we find many applications of AI in the public sector, measuring their value is often a challenge. This can potentially hinder public sector AI adoption, adding to challenges the public sector must overcome when implementing AI tools. The dimensions to measure the true impact and valued outcomes of AI solutions will include:

• Operational excellence gained from performance, process efficiencies, cost reduction and productivity optimization, and achieving equity
• Competitive position attained through providing excellence in citizen experience, scientific and economic development, and purposeful services.
• Transforming economy through enabling entrepreneurial culture and providing AI enabled creative aids/services in various sectors like education, healthcare, utilities, finance services, defense, etc.

However, at every stage of implementing AI in the public sector and measuring its impact, public sector organizations must be mindful of potential risks associated with:

• Privacy
• Security
• Fairness
• Transparency and accountability
• Safety and Trust
• Ethical risks

Capturing the Potential of AI in Public Sector

Governments have a critical role to play in realizing the potential impact of AI solutions in the public sector. Although many factors can affect how this would look, some proactive initiatives agencies can take to capture the potential of AI in the government sector include:^[1][3]

• Enabling a vibrant AI ecosystem with budget and capacity
• Creating safe spaces to experiment human centered AI solutions
• Setting up an AI authority and common operating model
• Enhancing data democracy by unlocking data jams
• Scaling up on AI literacy and skills
• Socializing AI solutions across affected business and technology
• Creating regulatory framework to practice AI with ethical and responsible boundaries

Conclusion

As AI is set to revolutionize the way our world works, governments are directing resources to realize the full potential of AI in the public sector. This can range from developing national policies to promote the safe and ethical use of AI to directing resources to AI research. However, governments alone cannot achieve this goal. There has to be a collaborative effort among the public sector, the private sector, research institutions, and universities. With applied AI, governments can not only improve public services for citizens but also build a safer nation that contributes to sustainable development goals.

Also Read: Practicing Responsible Artificial Intelligence

Author Details

Dr. Suman De, Principal Consultant and Head, Government Healthcare Analytics Solutions, Infosys Public Services

Dr. Suman is head of government healthcare analytics for Infosys Public Services. He has extensive experience in the public healthcare sector and previously worked for the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Indian Public Health Association.

At Infosys, Dr. Suman leads the area of advanced data science and artificial intelligence-enabled population health, social determinants of health analytics, opioid management, care management, and value-based care. He is a frequent public speaker at various healthcare conferences, forums and at major universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Suman is based in Hartford, Connecticut. He holds a medical degree from the University of Calcutta and master’s degree in healthcare administration from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in Mumbai, India.