This content was provided by George Mason University.

Everyone who works for or with the public sector — from federal employees to government contractors to academia — is trying to figure out what an artificial intelligence-enabled federal workforce looks like. The key, said Alan Shark, associate professor in the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, is to infuse some level of AI literacy into the classroom in all areas: public administration, health, law. That will help the workforce of the future understand not only how the tools work, but also the things to worry about.

“AI is probably one of the most significant topics that intersect policy, government and technology ever. The closest thing might be the internet having become public, which feels like centuries ago,” Shark said. “But this is a new phenomenon that affects so many different disciplines: anywhere where data is collected and utilized, analyzed, talked about, that then transforms into policy, that transforms into action, requires a multi-disciplinary approach.”

Increasing efficiency

This is not necessarily a new approach to emerging technologies; two decades or so ago, government managers were taking training courses on using PowerPoint and Excel. Back then, those were the programs making government employees more productive. That’s also the point of AI — not to replace humans, but to augment them. Shark said with AI, tasks that took weeks can now be accomplished in a matter of days.

The key to this is streamlining decision making processes. AI can analyze complicated subject matter better than humans can, like regulations, policy or financial models. It also finds patterns and anomalies more quickly, enabling government to better root out fraud, discover trends in opioid prescriptions, or defend against cyberattacks.

“I’ve been working with a group of professionals in the procurement area. And that’s always been a sore point for many people. It takes so long, there’s so much paperwork,” Shark said. “These officials get that and they are streamlining their operations, utilizing AI, being able to search vendors and search what other people are using and doing. And they believe they can cut the requirements down to maybe by 80%. That’s an incredible efficiency.”

This added efficiency will also make government better able to handle attrition in its workforce, Shark said. As more federal employees become proficient with AI tools, they will automate more workflows, and accomplish their missions faster. As other employees leave — which will continue to happen, as more and more federal employees approach retirement age — replacing them won’t be such an urgent necessity. This makes it more critical for those looking to procure government jobs to ensure their skills are up-to-date, including effective use of AI. Shark is a professor at the nationally ranked Schar School of Policy and Government. The Schar School is known for its practitioner and research faculty whose teaching across graduate and undergraduate programs emphasize emerging skills in policy education. In 2023, it debuted a new joint degree with the College of Computing in the Applied Computer Science’s Technology Policy concentration.

Citizen experience

Another way AI will affect government is by improving citizen services. This is where a lot of the earliest use cases happened; AI driven chatbots inspired by Alexa and Siri were — and still are — all the rage at some of the most public-facing agencies, like IRS and the Social Security Administration.

What’s truly interesting, Shark said, is that the earliest research suggests the public not only accepts it, but likes it. Citizens have said the robotic personality of the AI agent makes them feel as though everyone is treated equally. Some, of course, are still distrustful, but those still have the option to opt out and talk to an actual human. The caveat: Shark said agencies have to be transparent that it’s an AI agent. Don’t try to hide it. A disclaimer goes a long way toward building trust and acceptance.

“Today’s technology is only in its fourth generation by comparison. So whatever we see today with its advancements and limitations is only the beginning,” Shark said. “So the idea of chatting with the public and in multiple languages is extremely powerful. It serves as a great augmentation to existing staff patterns, helps in times of emergency, works on weekends and at night when it’s hard to find staff to cover those times. And the nice thing is they always default to humans. They will never replace humans.” Federal workers and contractors can only benefit from better understanding these tools, alongside more durable skills, such as critical thinking, leadership, and – importantly – the ability to weigh the ethics and ramifications of new technology.

As AI continues to reshape governance, the Schar School stands ready to equip the next generation of leaders with the skills, knowledge, and ethical foundation to drive meaningful change.The school is highly ranked, standing at no. 4 Homeland Security, no. 13 in Nonprofit Management, no. 24 in Public Finance, and no. 34 in Public Policy Analysis amongst all public affairs institutions in the United States, according to the U.S. News and World Report. The Schar School offers seven graduate programs, 11 graduate certificates, and three PhD programs to help advance careers in government.

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