AI is transforming public services. Here’s how to keep it safe and fair.
Automation will cut costs and improve services, but fairness, privacy and accountability must remain a priority.
COMMENTARY By Mlindi Mashologu
AI adoption in the workplace will reduce many of our most mundane tasks, from document processing to workflow management. It will help cut down on errors and streamline operations, allowing public-sector employees to focus on more complex, value-driven activities, optimizing resource allocation and enabling governments to deliver more with less.
The capacity of AI to analyze data enables governments to provide personalized public services tailored to individual needs, making government services more relevant to individuals and improving the overall citizen experience. Of course, that data should be used ethically, maintaining privacy and trust.
Efficiency should never undermine ethical standards, however. A strong regulatory framework will ensure AI deployment aligns with principles of fairness while sustaining public trust. Transparency is fundamental to trust in AI systems. Strong governance demands disclosure of how algorithms make decisions, enabling citizens to understand and trust these processes. Algorithmic transparency fosters accountability, ensuring biases or errors are identified and addressed. Mechanisms for auditing AI processes ensure that decision-makers and public servants remain responsible for AI-assisted decisions.
Governance frameworks must also ensure that AI systems address the needs of marginalized and vulnerable groups. Inclusive AI initiatives reduce disparities, ensuring equitable access to public services. When citizens trust AI-driven decision-making processes, they are more likely to embrace these technologies, easing implementation and encouraging adoption.
The convergence of strong AI regulation and high adoption presents a transformative opportunity for digital government. By prioritizing accountability, inclusivity and public trust, governments can harness AI to reshape public services for the better. The future of AI in governance hinges on balancing innovation with responsibility. Through strategic regulation and ethical deployment, governments can build a digital future that is efficient, equitable and trustworthy, ensuring the benefits of AI are shared by all.
Mlindi Mashologu is a Deputy Director-General: Digital Society and Economy, at the National Department of Communications and Digital Technologies in South Africa, a position he assumed in 2020.