Artificial Intelligence in Government: Potentials, Challenges, and the Future

The rapid advancement of AI technologies - machine learning, Big Data, Cloud Computing and Internet of Things (IoT) and other related technologies - has dramatically expanded the technological capacities of the government and the application of AI technologies in government has been accelerating into more substantial areas of the government functions. Often compared to the Fourth Industrial Revolution, AI technologies are expected to change our society in a fundamental way and this will create the need for the public sector to adapt and coordinate the broader social transformation around the new technology. At this important juncture, this paper explores the significance of AI technologies put on a broader spectrum of frontier technologies that have previously transformed our society and the public sector; examine its unique attributes, potentials, and applications for government services; investigate the landscape of the current use of AI technologies in government and discuss key challenges the new technology will pose to the government and how they may be addressed.