Public sector data stewardship for the AI era

Artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) are becoming integral to the public sector, shifting from theoretical applications to real-world implementations with a focus on specific use cases that align with organizational missions and key performance indicators. A recent webinar with industry experts highlighted the current GenAI adoption in government, education, and defense, emphasizing the importance of data preparedness, stewardship, and governance for successful implementation. Public sector organizations are prioritizing high-impact use cases to enhance operational efficiency, reduce errors, and improve service delivery, while grappling with challenges such as governance, risk, security, and data readiness. The retrieval augmented generation (RAG) approach is crucial for grounding AI responses in authoritative information, enhancing accuracy and trustworthiness. Responsible AI practices, including risk assessment, bias detection, and public engagement, are essential for ethical and transparent AI use. Additionally, workforce preparation through training and collaboration with academic and research institutions is vital to leverage AI effectively, emphasizing a practical understanding of AI's capabilities and limitations.