AI: Five Questions Every Public Administrator Must Ask
As technology transforms service delivery, it's essential to balance innovation, risk, and public trust. Administrators must strike a careful balance among these factors.
AI is everywhere, appearing in every digital device, from smartphones to security cameras to municipal utility systems. Those who have worked with AI are amazed at its speed and intelligent responses. However, this speed and scale introduce heightened risks, with a slimmer margin for error and the potential for small mistakes to escalate quickly.
This raises five core questions that every public administrator should continually ask as new ways to employ AI in government emerge. The first question is:
- What problem are we actually trying to solve with AI?
AI should never be adopted simply because it is the “latest thing” or because other governments are experimenting with it.
Author's summary: Administrators must balance innovation and risk when adopting AI in government.