With the AI revolution long upon us, it’s not uncommon to see the use of AI chatbots in sectors such as manufacturing, finance and even healthcare. The benefits are undeniable with improved efficiency, reduced costs and greater personalisation.
But one wonders if AI chatbots have a place in the field of public services. After all, it is a sector dedicated to addressing the needs of a given community, and the human element of empathy, nuanced understanding, and the ability to handle complex or sensitive cases often remains highly important, making a purely automated approach challenging.
But still, AI is seeing greater use across many countries. The key is in using AI as a support tool to streamline the backend process and other more nitty-gritty work, without it replacing the human touch.
So how has AI seen use around the world? We shine a spotlight on some countries and discover how they leverage technology to better serve their communities.
Singapore
The use of “Pair“, a secure AI chatbot developed by Open Government Products (a division of GovTech) for research and writing, has significantly increased among Singapore’s public officers. Approximately 50,000 officers, or a third of the total public service, now actively use Pair, doubling its user base from 2024.
Singapore’s Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo highlighted this growth, noting that public officers are also creating custom chatbots using the “AIBots” platform for various internal functions like HR queries and procurement guidance. This indicates a burgeoning AI ecosystem in Singapore, aligned with its National AI Strategy to become a global AI innovation hub.
New Zealand
Paul James, New Zealand’s Government Chief Digital Officer, advocates for more sophisticated asset management processes to avoid repeatedly replacing costly digital systems, especially with the shift to constantly updated cloud platforms.
James also highlights that digital maturity is crucial for AI readiness, noting that around 120 AI experiments are currently underway across 40 government departments in New Zealand. These experiments primarily focus on improving efficiency and customer service through chatbots. He foresees a shift towards AI’s use in core operations and responsibilities, including modernising legacy systems by using AI to identify outdated components and vulnerabilities.
United Kingdom
The British government is collaborating with AI startup Anthropic to explore using its Claude chatbot to enhance public access to information and services. This partnership, formalised by a memorandum of understanding, aligns with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s ambition to establish the UK as an AI “superpower” and boost public service productivity through AI. Technology Minister Peter Kyle stated that the collaboration reinforces the UK’s commitment to being a leading hub for frontier AI development.
Claude, a competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT and backed by Google and Amazon, is already utilised by organisations such as the European Parliament for making archives more accessible and efficient.
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Ultimately, the experiences of Singapore, New Zealand, and the UK demonstrate a clear trajectory: AI’s integration into public services isn’t about wholesale replacement, but rather a strategic enhancement.
By leveraging AI for efficiency gains in areas like information retrieval, routine queries, and internal processes, governments can free up human resources to focus on the complex, empathetic, and nuanced interactions that define truly effective public service. The ongoing challenge will be to strike this balance effectively, ensuring that technology serves to augment human capabilities rather than diminish the essential human touch in community engagement. One such chatbot that can help your company achieve that is…
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