Of Pioneers and Potentials

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In Brief:

• The ease of use and broad applicability of GenAI have sparked significant global interest and a broad willingness to adopt it – even in the public sector.
• The experiences of the pioneers from the first exploration and application phase highlight the opportunities for the public sector and provide initial guidance for the successful implementation of GenAI.
• What is needed now is bold experimentation, strategic foresight, strong leadership, the involvement and empowerment of employees, and exchange with partners and networks – to scale GenAI responsibly.

"Hardly anyone disputes the potential of Generative AI for public administration. What matters now is focusing on real use cases and their concrete impacts. It is crucial that we use the insights from these cases as a starting point for a debate on the scalability of this technology in public administration, in order to initiate a comprehensive transformation."

Corinna Krezer - Head of Health & Public Service Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Europe, Accenture

A Special Momentum Through a Special Technology

Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) has sparked significant interest worldwide. The technology is being experimented with in numerous fields across science, business, society, and the public sector. While the latter is under increasing pressure to innovate and modernize, GenAI brings fresh perspectives and new opportunities.

To understand how GenAI can be utilized in administration, it is worth looking at the pioneers who are early adopters of GenAI. The TUM Think Tank and Accenture have combined their scientific expertise and experience in digitalization of public administration to examine the initial exploration and application phase of GenAI in the public sector through 16 specific use cases from around the world. Key factors are derived from the concrete use cases that positively influence the implementation of GenAI. The study thus provides valuable orientation points for the introduction and use of GenAI in the public sector.

Lessons for Organizations in the Public Sector

Five key lessons emerge from the use cases: (1) It is worthwhile to take bold initial steps to recognize the potential of GenAI; (2) GenAI should be used strategically and responsibly, keeping long-term opportunities in mind; (3) Leaders must develop and communicate a clear vision and strategy to provide employees with guidance and security; (4) Employees must be involved and appropriately trained; and (5) Networks and partnerships are important for sharing knowledge and resources.

„The transformative power of GenAI, as represented by innovations like ChatGPT, inspires globally and demonstrates the immense potential of this technology. Our study highlights the pioneering work of public sector institutions from several countries and their initial experiences with GenAI. These insights provide valuable impetus and guidance for the German administration."

Urs Gasser – Professor of Public Policy, Governance and Innovative Technology, TU Munich

Perspective: Strategic Scaling of GenAI

The research shows that GenAI represents a transformative force in the public sector. GenAI is part of a broader technological change, the profound effects of which are already becoming apparent. The technology enables the automation of complex tasks, increases efficiency and productivity, and could even lead to new organizational forms in the future. However, to fully leverage the potential of GenAI, organizations must scale the technology responsibly and strategically.