This is the Public Sector AI Cheat Code

Data literacy is the public sector’s AI skeleton key. See how it unlocks innovation, according to data literacy pioneer and bestselling author Jordan Morrow.

May 1, 2026 12:53 pm

5 min read

Jordan Morrow is one of the world’s leading experts on data and AI, the architect behind the field of data literacy, best-selling author of five books on data and AI skills, TEDx speaker and “the Godfather of Data Literacy,” although he cringes a little at that last moniker.

“I did not give myself that nickname,” he’s quick to point out.

The mention is all but forgotten once Morrow starts talking. He quickly demystifies data literacy, recasting the concept as fundamental for working and living as “humans in the era of AI,” as he describes it.

Much of his work in data literacy is grounded in his time working at Qlik, where he frequently collaborated with public sector teams to help institute data and AI frameworks and solutions. Particularly for the public sector, successful AI deployment is firmly rooted in comprehensive data literacy in the workforce, Morrow said.

Morrow will be speaking at the Qlik 2026 Public Sector Summit on May 19 in Washington, D.C., where he’ll challenge the AI hype, explore the public sector’s current landscape, and provide practical guidance for empowering agencies, teams and their missions.

Meanwhile, here’s a sneak peek at three key elements for success through AI and data literacy. One hint: It’s all about the humans.

Live by the “Three Cs”

“We see the ability to make better public sector decisions, and being able to read and understand and analyze data is even more important than ever,” Morrow said. “So I have what I call my three Cs of data and AI literacy. And in the public sector, they’re probably the most important thing a person can do.”

Be curious, be creative and think critically are Morrow’s three Cs, and they serve as a foundation particularly for public sector users. Considering the access to huge swaths of data, these three tenets can help best inform and frame policy-setting, decision-making and creative tool-building that augments and elevates the workforce.

These concepts also help public sector users think creatively to build smart narratives – an approach that may feel novel to some. But it goes hand-in-hand with the critical thinking and curiosity to implement data and AI as gamechangers.

“There’s a great book by David McCraney called ‘How Minds Change.’ And you find very quickly data does not change a person’s mind, even if you could put it right in front of them,” Morrow said. “It’s narrative and stories that change a person’s mind, but you need them backed up by good data.”

Embrace the unfamiliar

Within the sweeping vortex of AI hype, there’s a lot of negative sentiment: fear, fatigue, discomfort, skepticism. Even Morrow admits to feeling some of it. However, he remains relentless focused on the positive aspects, and it’s a key characteristic of his teachings.

Not understanding AI is a major factor of why it feels, to many, too nebulous and powerful to take on. People often don’t realize that everyone is data literate to some degree; it’s a matter of recognizing, building and leveraging that knowledge. As Morrow puts it, it’s just part of the human journey.

“It’s not about humans versus AI. It’s about, how do we engineer intelligence to make smarter decisions? I’ve got a formula on this,” he said. “Engineered intelligence = data + AI + IQ + EQ. Two parts tech, two parts human. And the most important one out of all four of those elements is emotional intelligence. Because 90% to 99% of people aren’t AI professionals – how do we evolve and grow with it, versus fear and be superseded by it? It takes effort, but when you do that, people latch on and they get more comfortable.”

The comfort level with data literacy – and with continuously improving it – is especially important for the public sector, whose users can help usher in transformational change with the data they have. But doing that in such a regulated environment requires a certain level of data literacy, ideally achieved at least in part through workforce programs.

Everyone has a seat at this table – but to eat, put in the work

That AI vortex that’s rife with dystopian tropes is the same one spinning promises of silver bullets galore. The reality lies somewhere between the extremes. That means generative AI isn’t a panacea; sometimes a simple spreadsheet is the better solution.

How does one understand which solution is best for a given problem? To start, know that everything in AI and the data ecosystem breaks down to a puzzle piece – “meaning, in the end, the puzzle picture comes together,” Morrow said.

Learning to decipher the pieces and put together the puzzle is an undertaking, and it’s one that must come with significant grounding in reality. But it’s also an undertaking that’s inclusive; anyone can do it.

“Everyone has a seat at this table. But I want to clarify that just because you sit at a table, the food doesn’t jump into your mouth, right? We have to take some initiative on what that means,” Morrow said. “It means 15 or 20 minutes a day, sit there and use AI. Read articles. Find out how you can be augmented and be building engineered intelligence for yourself. Just take some time to learn it. The key is taking the mindset, ‘I can do this and I have a place in this.’ Everyone in the public sector needs to know that.”

Hear more from Jordan Morrow by registering for Qlik’s 2026 Public Sector Summit.