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Smart Government is the buzzword used to describe intelligent, networked government and public administration. But what are the challenges facing public sector players? One thing is clear: The tasks are enormous, and successful implementation is still lagging behind in many places.
Is KI the key to transformation?
Many cities around the world are turning to artificial intelligence to make processes more efficient and citizen-friendly. There is no shortage of inspiring ideas, as international benchmarking projects have shown.
In Germany, too, many cities and municipalities are looking to the future and working to modernise and digitise the public sector using innovative information and communication technologies.
Digitalisation in government: Still missing the turbo
The potential for digitising public processes is enormous. However, not all ministries, offices, authorities, governments or municipal institutions such as town halls or public administrations are desiring change. Often, the status quo is being maintained or automation is progressing only in small steps.
The call is for “more change, please” and for all those who are hesitating to recognise and exploit the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence and to use agile processes to bring about change. How can digital progress be made meaningful? By understanding and using KI as a game changer.
Artificial intelligence as a game changer
A modern, fast and efficient city administration is one of the most important locational advantages. Here, the world needs pioneers who show how automation and digitalisation can generate added value and what can already be implemented with a well-thought-out KI approach. The following examples may serve as examples:
USA: Vision Zero for safe routes to school in L.A.
Every fifth person seriously injured in traffic accidents in Los Angeles is a schoolchild. Of course, the risk to children is particularly high near schools. The city’s Vision Zero initiative aims to reduce the number of traffic deaths to zero by 2025.
The initiative is supported by the LA GeoHub platform: By intelligently linking data, high-risk roads in the city area are identified to show safe routes and initiate targeted construction measures.
France: KI helps people find jobs
Jobseekers often find it difficult to realistically assess their skills and opportunities in the labour market. This makes the job search even more difficult and stands in the way of successful placement.
The French start-up Bob Emploi combines detailed market data with information about jobseekers and analyses it using artificial intelligence. This gives users a comprehensive picture of their situation and personalised advice to help them take the next steps.
Finland: Open data for fossil freedom
The Finnish capital Helsinki has set itself the goal of radically reducing the use of fossil fuels and becoming completely CO2-neutral by 2035. However, the transport sector lacked the necessary information on the relevant urban planning measures.
Thanks to the 3D city model, the digital twin of the city, and the intelligent linking and processing of data on energy values and solar radiation, it is now possible to carry out comprehensive analyses of energy efficiency and solar energy use in the city area. The ambitious goal is getting closer.
Germany: Real-time monitoring of fishing quotas
In Germany, fisheries monitoring has historically been characterised by dispersed databases, media breaks and manual sampling. This makes it difficult to implement the EU requirements for complete monitoring.
The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) has created a central data platform, the Fisheries Information Technology (FIT), which enables real-time monitoring of fishing activities and catch quotas in German waters.
Automation in the public sector is not an end in itself
The development of automation potential and the implementation of intelligent KI systems always pursue specific goals:
- Collecting and managing data on transport, climate, health, etc.
- Personalisation and individualisation of citizen services
- Transparency and accessibility of the public sector
If digitalisation reduces redundant bureaucracy, this in turn helps to regain people’s lost trust in government.
The result is intelligent solutions that can often be felt by every citizen and every employee in the public sector, thus helping to improve the public good. Not least in times of a shortage of skilled workers, the use of KI opens up new opportunities to at least mitigate this shortage.
Smart start: start with routine tasks
KI solutions and intelligent software can automate routine tasks such as processing applications, filling in forms and managing documents. This saves time, reduces errors and is a first important step towards the digitalisation of simple administrative processes.
A useful tool is GPT Enterprise, an advanced version of GPT technology. It has been developed specifically for enterprise use and offers the following benefits
- Data protection and security: GPT Enterprise complies with the GDPR and provides additional security measures to ensure that data remains secure and confidential.
- Adaptability: Users can adapt GPT models to their needs and create customised solutions.
Scalability: The platform can grow with an institution’s increasing needs. - Integration: GPT Enterprise easily integrates with existing systems and workflows.
- Support and maintenance: Users receive dedicated support and regular maintenance to keep the solution up to date.
When modified GPTs take over the editing of documents, the management of document directories or the management of contact persons, this frees up resources that can be used for further transformation steps.
Technical solutions for more team communication
Applications such as Microsoft Teams, Slack or Zoom can be a first step in improving communication in the public sector. Civil servants often have to interact with several external and internal teams. Here, features such as real-time chat, video calls and document sharing ensure more efficient collaboration both within the agency and with external partners.
Conceptboard as a sparring partner
During the pandemic, many institutions in the public sector discovered Conceptboard as a digitisation tool and made the online whiteboard their future-oriented tool. On the visual workspace, teams meet, collect ideas, work together on projects and bundle documentation in one place.
CDO Toolbox – ready-to-use templates and methods
Conceptboard enjoys the trust of leading organisations and invests purposefully to strengthen it. Conceptboard’s innovative CDO Toolbox eases the way to digitalisation and offers optimally applicable methods and processes that are specifically tailored to the needs of the public sector. Good to know: Conceptboard for the public sector is GDPR compliant and ISO 27001 certified. The hosts and servers are located in Germany.
Digitisation with Conceptboard: Kiel leads the way
Ki:GO is the strategy with which the city of Kiel is shaping the digital transition to a modern administration and preparing the city for the future. This includes providing employees with a digital workplace that enables different working models and, in particular, more remote working.
The city decided to deploy an online whiteboard where projects could be planned and edited in a clear manner, independent of time and location. Conceptboard met all the requirements and was also the only visual collaboration application that was compatible with the touch controls of the Promethean smartboards used by the City of Kiel. In terms of security standards, Conceptboard was also able to impress as the best data protection-compliant provider.
Digitalisation made easy
Conceptboard’s CDO Toolbox helps public administrations to break new ground and become more agile. With ready-made templates and detailed methodological instructions, the toolbox enables all employees to participate in the digitalisation process and thus make their daily work easier. CDO stands for Chief Digital Officer, also known as the digitisation expert in public administration. The boss is also in demand!
Conclusion: Thanks to KI, the smart city is becoming a reality
Artificial intelligence can make a decisive contribution to the digital transformation of the public sector. Cities around the world are using artificial intelligence to make processes more efficient and citizen-friendly, and to make the vision of smart government a reality.
In Germany, too, cities and municipalities are increasingly turning to digital solutions and thus to agile action. The automation of routine tasks makes it easier to get started with digitalisation. Tools such as GPT Enterprise and Conceptboard support this transformation and also meet the strict data protection requirements for authorities and other public institutions.
Find out more now! Find out more about the benefits of Conceptboard for the public sector here.
