How is AI Transforming the Public Sector and Everyday Life?

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic technology. Ex Machina and I, Robot are becoming more of a reality each day. But don’t worry, the AI that we have won’t force you to fight back against ‘the evil machines.’ Today’s AI is becoming more integrated into our daily lives, transforming how we work and helping us make decisions.

AI is making the mark across all organizations, especially in the public sector. It is surprising how often you probably use some form of AI throughout a normal day—from automating tasks to understanding complex data. Let’s explore the ubiquity of AI in our daily lives, its effect on the public sector, and what is in store for the future.

The Rise of AI

You’ll be surprised by how much you actually use AI during an average day. Every time you use Google, Siri, or Alexa to assist with something, you’re utilizing artificial intelligence. Don’t know what to watch on Netflix or listen to on Spotify? AI will help you scroll through personalized recommendations by leveraging your listening and viewing patterns to deliver individual preferences. And when you track your workout on a smartwatch, AI jumps in to analyze your health data, track your progress, and give you fitness advice.

But what is most surprising to many is this technology we call AI has actually been around since the 1950s with the development of the first computer. (We’ll pause a moment while you pick your jaw up off the floor.) As surprising as that seems, it really is true—our current state of AI is all based off technology from 70+ years ago.

All this use of AI can be overwhelming and—depending upon your opinion of it—scary. But remember, the computer technology and capabilities we have today are here to enhance our daily lives by making things easier and more efficient for us. Jerome Gabryszewski, AI and Data Science Development Manager at HP, discussed the challenges and excitement of living in an AI world on DALY’s Technology Pulse podcast. He said, “One thing we have to remember is that AI is here really to enhance productivity and augment the human.”

As this advanced technology continues to rise and evolve, Jerome states that there is always going to be a human aspect to the technology. There will always be an interface between human beings and AI technology. All the knowledge and prompts that AI has, comes from data that humans have given it. From the first computer to now, humans have had a distinct advantage when developing computer technologies, and because there is a major human aspect, utilization of AI remains crucial to its future.

AI in the Public Sector

Organizations around the United States have been utilizing AI to transform their operations and become more effective and efficient. In the public sector, adopting new technologies has historically been a slower process. However, in recent years, public sector entities have embraced artificial intelligence because of the immense potential it has with enhancing transparency and solving societal challenges. Here are a couple of keyways AI is being used in the public sector:

1. State and Local Government: Artificial intelligence has allowed for data processing to be quicker and the understanding of that data almost instant. Predictive analytics for public policy have given new opportunities for governments to understand their constituents and allow for more accurate and effective resource allocation.
2. Public Safety: Fancy technology that you often see in movies and shows, such as facial recognition, are very much real and very much AI-driven. Facial recognition and predictive policing technologies are being employed by law enforcement agencies to gather important data and prevent crime according to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ). DALY works with a number of manufacturers and service providers that allow for public safety organizations to quickly and effectively work through advanced data so organizations can allocate the correct amount of resources.
3. K-12 and Higher Education: AI is revolutionizing the learning and teaching experiences. Through intellectual tutoring systems, the Department of Education was able to build accurate models of how humans respond and solve to different educational problems. AI adaptability is allowing students to become so much more successful in the classroom while allowing professionals to better understand the learning process of students. Teachers are able to create in-depth lesson plans with different AI software, and they can utilize high-tech tools with AI capabilities to keep students engaged.

AI and the Future of Work

Despite the concerns expressed in the past few years, the future for AI is more exciting than scary. The possibilities are truly endless. As Jerome said, there will always need to be a human aspect for the technology to work properly. The knowledge that AI gets is all because of the creativity from humans. Every prompt you put into ChatGPT, or any other AI assistant comes from your ability to think and generate questions, and the technology will need that input to function well.

Throughout the public and private sectors, AI will become a more prominent factor that will need to be utilized more to keep up with our ‘technological society.’ There is no shame in using AI to help with mundane tasks or generate ideas when you’re in a creative slump. But stay engaged and work with the technology rather than letting it take over—that is a sure way to remove the human aspect that is needed to make the work product better.

AI is being utilized more ways than you actually realize. We need to remember that using AI to help optimize tasks, generate new ideas, and provide value to you and your organization is a positive and productive step.

And, most importantly, realize that AI is not going to take over the world … yet.

Learn More about Public Sector AI

Listen to “Living in an AI World” on the Technology Pulse podcast today: Podcasts – DALY

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Author: Aaron Oman