How can AI aid the public sector?

As consumers, our expectations are higher than ever. We have come to expect convenience and speed with every transaction we make. Companies like Amazon and Apple are setting the bar high and because of it some organisations are being left behind.

 

The issue with the experiences we have with large private companies is that they have the budgets and infrastructure to invest in a level of customer service that not every organisation can compete with. When interacting with our local governments and public bodies are we becoming frustrated when we do not receive a similar experience.

 

In reality, it is not just the customer experience that is being invested in. Technology is a major factor when it comes to our interactions with both companies and government organisations. In our upcoming report ‘Tides of Disruption: How to swim and not sink in the age of digitalisation’ we discuss how technology is bringing disruption and how organisations are putting themselves at risk if they do not consider digitalisation in their business plans.

 

While it is obvious that the public sector does not have the same level of budget as the likes of Amazon and Apple to match their customer experiences, there are some alternatives that could help it keep up. Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are becoming easier to roll out and scale up when built using cloud platforms.

What is AI?

The definition of AI is subjective dependent on context and use. In broad terms, AI is where technology exhibits some form of human intelligence such as planning, learning or reasoning. Common forms of AI that we are using in our everyday lives include the virtual assistants that are being implemented in smartphones and smart speakers, recommendations on e-commerce shopping websites and social network friend recommendations. If technology is using data to come to some form of conclusion then it is using AI.[GWLG1] 

 

Using AI to improve customer service in the public sector

AI has the potential to not only solve problems in the public sector but also to develop processes and services so that it can compete with the experiences we associate with large private companies. Use cases are already beginning to be seen where the technology has created positive experiences for users of government services.

 

One example of AI being used to improve customer service in the public sector is Aylesbury Vale District Council (AVDC). As part of their five year strategy, the council wishes to go through a process of evolution for its digital systems with AI being a key part of the process.

 

AVDC will be implementing several AI based services including an integration with Amazon’s Alexa, allowing residents to gain access to the information they need through voice services instead of navigating the website, as well exploring the potential use of AI chatbots.

 

Through using AI to assist their services, public sector organisations will be able to drive efficiencies and create better experiences. Instead of phone conversations that can take up time for both parties, service users could initially interact with a chatbot to find quick answers relieving resources to provide more personalised and high value services elsewhere. Enfield Council has also investigated the use of AI to improve their services and have implemented a virtual agent using a chat functionality that is accessible 24 hours a day and 365 days of the year, allowing for an “always on” service for their residents.

 

Using AI to make data-based decisions in the public sector

AI also has the capacity to enable data-based predictive processes in the public sector. In 2018, The Independent reported that AI technology had been funded by the UK Home Office to remove terrorist propaganda videos from the Internet and identify patterns to prevent them being uploaded.

The technology has the potential to be utilised in multiple different ways across public organisations. AI could be used to analyse government data across the board to gain insight and support valuable initiatives. For example, the knowledge gained from traffic and congestion data could be used to understand where infrastructure developments would have the most impact, potentially establishing long-term cost saving and efficiencies.

 

While we often associate major technology investments with large private companies, government and public sector organisations can still benefit from going through a process of digitalisation and using innovations like AI to improve their services and work smarter. In ‘Tides of Disruption: How to swim and not sink in the age of digitalisation’ we examine AI alongside four other forces of disruption and identify how organisations need to adapt to manage digital disruption to ensure they do not get left behind.

 

If you would like to receive a copy of ‘Tides of Disruption: How to swim and not sink in the age of digitalisation’ please register your interest.