Governing with AI : Four Actions to Build a Transformative and Resilient Public Administration

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is not a shortcut to reforming government. Without prior institutional redesign, sufficient capacity, and clear governance, its adoption is more likely to entrench bureaucratic dysfunctions, bias, and opacity than to improve performance or fairness.

The success of AI in government is ultimately a governance challenge, not a technical one. Outcomes depend less on the technology’s sophistication than on institutional capacity, accountability mechanisms, vendor power relations, and resilience planning.

The Global Policy Brief recommends four actions:

* Redesign public services around real problems before deploying AI; * Invest in institutional capacity through training and cross-functional teams; * Rebalance power with vendors through collective procurement and collaboration; and * Anchor public-sector AI in a “trust stack” build on transparency, accountability and oversight, as well as resilience.