AI in the public sector – How citizens can benefit from AI in the public sector.

The journey into the bureaucratic labyrinth

It was a bright Monday morning when the Müller family decided to organize their long-planned trip to Thailand. The children, Anna and Max, were excited about the idea of exploring the temples of Bangkok and enjoying the beaches of Phuket. But before they could pack their bags, they had to apply for their passports. Mr. Müller had taken a day off work to go to the citizens’ office with his wife and children. They had carefully prepared all the necessary documents and hoped for a smooth process. But as soon as they arrived, they were confronted with a long queue. The family waited patiently as the minutes turned into hours. When it was finally their turn, it turned out that an important form was missing. Mrs. Müller rushed home to get it while Mr. Müller waited with the children. After their return and hours of waiting, they finally managed to apply for their passports. But the processing time was estimated at six weeks, which jeopardized their travel plans. The Müllers returned home disappointed and considered postponing their trip. But then, at the last minute, they received the news that the passports had been completed in time after all. With great relief and anticipation of their upcoming vacation, they packed their suitcases and headed to the airport.

Thesis: Increasing efficiency through AI in the public sector

The story of the Müller family illustrates how time-consuming and frustrating bureaucratic processes can be. The integration of artificial intelligence in the public sector could significantly speed up such procedures. AI could automate the processing of applications, check documents in real time and identify missing information immediately. This would reduce waiting times and enable citizens to deal with their concerns more efficiently. The Müllers could have received their passports in just a few days and looked forward to their stress-free vacation to Thailand.

AI applications in the public sector

Research into how AI applications and artificial intelligence can simplify citizen services has been going on for years. The use of AI in public administration covers a wide range of applications: Chatbots and virtual assistants: These AI-supported systems answer citizens’ questions around the clock, even outside opening hours. They can process requests in natural language and even use voice input and output to simulate a natural conversation. Document processing: AI systems help with searching and filling out forms. They can also check the authenticity of documents, such as the Federal Employment Agency uses for study certificates. Service robots: In some authorities, such as the Ludwigsburg Citizens’ Office, robots are already being used to process simple requests and provide information. The technology trends clearly show that the helpers are more than footage and more than signposts. Predictive analytics: AI systems analyze large amounts of data to predict trends and support decisions. This is used in areas such as traffic control and police work. Accordingly, data evaluation is also much faster.
AI in environmental protection is a current topic, predicting climate patterns, using resources more efficiently, supporting species protection, monitoring environmental pollution and optimizing sustainable solutions. Autonomous systems: Autonomous systems that can perform complex tasks independently are increasingly being used in various areas of the public sector. For example, there is already AI in the transport sector. Autonomous shuttle buses already operate for local public transport.

Advantages for citizens

The implementation of AI in the public sector brings numerous benefits for citizens: Improved accessibility: AI-supported services are available around the clock and can be offered in different languages. This increases accessibility and enables more people to make use of administrative services. Faster processing: By automating routine tasks, requests can be processed more quickly. This reduces waiting times and improves administrative efficiency. Many questions can be answered quickly and clearly thanks to good knowledge management. AI provides clear support for digitalization and avoids unnecessary paperwork. Personalized services: AI systems can better take individual needs into account and offer tailored solutions(similar to personalization for businesses). This leads to higher citizen satisfaction with public services. Transparency and fairness: AI systems can help in decision-making by analyzing objective data. This can lead to fairer and more transparent decision-making processes. Public spending can be reduced if the data is optimally evaluated and subsequently used.

Increasing efficiency in public administration

AI contributes in many ways to increasing efficiency in public administration: Automation of routine tasks: AI takes over time-consuming, repetitive tasks, allowing administrative staff to focus on more complex tasks and benefiting service improvement accordingly. Improved data analysis: AI systems can analyze large amounts of data quickly and accurately, leading to informed decisions and targeted policies. Big data is also being processed faster and faster through cloud computing. Resource optimization: Predictive analyses allow resources to be used more efficiently and bottlenecks to be identified at an early stage. Cost savings can also be expected here, as less storage capacity is required, for example. Error reduction: AI systems can minimize human error and increase the accuracy of administrative processes. Assuming an adapted AI strategy, AI technologies can significantly optimize, automate and accelerate administrative processes in the public sector, leading to more efficient use of resources, improved citizen services and increased productivity.

Challenges in the introduction of AI

Despite the many advantages, there are also challenges when implementing AI in the public sector: Data protection and security: Handling sensitive citizen data requires strict security measures and compliance with data protection regulations. Security standards must be high, as sensitive data is being handled. E-government must communicate reliably and ensure sufficient transparency in order to promote citizen participation. Ethical concerns: Clear guidelines must be developed for the ethical use of AI in order to avoid discrimination and unfair decisions. Ethics in AI is legally defined by, for example, the EU AI Act. Lack of digital skills: Administrative staff need training and support to be able to work effectively with AI systems. User-friendliness is also crucial here, both for employees and citizens. Technical infrastructure: The implementation of AI often requires a modernization of the existing IT infrastructure, which can be associated with high costs. On the way to becoming a smart city, more and more adaptations and, above all, a digital transformation will be required in the future. Acceptance: Both employees and citizens may have reservations about AI systems, which need to be addressed. Data security in particular puts many people off using AI technologies.

Improvement of services

AI improves services in the public sector in many ways. Faster processing , such as the automation of processes, means that applications and inquiries can be processed more quickly, resulting in shorter waiting times for citizens. Improved information transfer through AI-supported systems can prepare complex information in understandable language and present it in a simplified form if required. Open data is used sensibly and in a targeted manner. Proactive services: AI systems can predict which services citizens might need in the future and offer them proactively. Error reduction is becoming increasingly important and automatic checks can detect and correct errors in forms and applications at an early stage. Multilingual support is no longer a novelty. AI-based translation services make it possible to offer administrative services in different languages, improving accessibility for citizens with a migrant background.

Artificial intelligence helps everywhere

The topic of AI in education also comes into play here, as learning needs have also changed significantly in recent years and topics such as IoT and collaboration technology will have to be introduced into the school system at an early stage. The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted clear deficits here. AI in the healthcare sector is also currently experiencing a small revolution. Early detection and diagnosis are being analyzed by AI algorithms and patterns are being recognized earlier. Drug development is being greatly accelerated by funding programs and AI research. AI is playing an increasingly important role in energy supply and offers numerous advantages. Not only does it enable precise predictions of energy consumption and generation by analyzing historical and real-time data, it also optimizes processes and significantly increases efficiency. Routine tasks can be taken over by AI, enabling productivity increases of up to 40% in areas such as intelligent grid control, predictive maintenance and demand planning. Especially for municipal utilities with high competitive pressure and frequent customer changes, AI makes a decisive contribution to customer support – for example through chatbots that process inquiries around the clock or personalized offers.

Conclusion

AI in the public sector offers enormous opportunities to increase the efficiency of administration and improve the quality of services for citizens. From faster processing times and personalized services to fairer decision-making processes – the benefits are manifold. However, important challenges must also be overcome when implementing AI systems. Data protection, ethical issues and the need for employee training are key aspects that need to be taken into account. To exploit the full potential of AI in the public sector, coordinated cooperation between different authorities and ministries is required. Initiatives such as the Advisory Center for Artificial Intelligence (BeKI) and the “Marketplace of AI Opportunities” are important steps in this direction. Start-up collaborations and innovation funding are needed on a permanent basis so that a future-oriented solution can be pursued. The use of AI, in particular through machine learning algorithms, in combination with blockchain technology can ensure increased transparency, efficiency and security in administrative processes, leading to an improved quality of service for citizens. Ultimately, the successful use of AI in the public sector will not only make administration more efficient, but also strengthen citizens’ trust in state institutions and sustainably improve the quality of public services.