Senior Public Servants Think GenAI Will Boost Productivity – But Are Worried About the Risks

Abstract

Many bold claims have been made about Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) and its capacity to improve productivity and generate workplace efficiencies.

A recent Microsoft survey found 24% of private sector leaders have already deployed GenAI across their organisations. Many are considering laying off staff and replacing them with GenAI systems.

But how much appetite does the public sector have for using artificial intelligence, which doesn’t come without risks?

Our new research explores attitudes in Australian bureaucracy to using GenAI in policy work. Given governments are expected to work in ethical, transparent and responsible ways, we wondered if public servants are more wary of adopting this technology. Show more