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Barriers to public sector data sharing identified – and how to overcome them
The coronavirus response led to an increase in data sharing across the public sector. A Global Government Forum webinar brought together senior UK figures to discuss how the lessons from the pandemic might unlock better collaboration During the webinar, Lisa Allen, the director of data and services at the Open Data Institute (ODI) highlighted the…
UK standards committee: ‘urgent need’ to strengthen regulation of public sector AI
A new report looking at artificial intelligence (AI) in the UK public sector says there’s an “urgent need for guidance and regulation.” AI has the potential to “revolutionise” public service delivery, says the Committee for Standards in Public Life (CSPL), with machine learning in particular transforming how decisions are made in policing, health, welfare, social…
UK report: hand anonymised financial data to public trusts
A ‘data commons’ holding aggregated, anonymised financial data should be established in the UK, according to a new report by London-headquartered think tank, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). The report – Not Cashless, But Less Cash: Economic Justice and the Future of UK Payments – recommends that anonymised personal banking and financial services…
UK regulators: machine learning deployments set to double in financial services
Research by the UK’s Bank of England (BoE) and Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found that the country’s financial services businesses are fast deploying machine learning (ML) technology to tackle money laundering and fraud. The survey found that ML – defined as “the development of models for prediction and pattern recognition, with limited human intervention”…
UK data ethics chief warns of threat to public trust
The head of the UK’s new technology ethics unit has warned that a loss of public trust could undermine work to develop and implement artificial intelligence (AI) systems. “Public trust in these technologies will be vital,” he said, adding that if people “suspect that these technologies are working against them, instead of for them, then…
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Discover independent research reports, surveys and in-depth studies from Global Government Forum and knowledge partners, exploring the most important issues facing governments and the public sector. Our research provides practical insights and evidence-based recommendations for senior civil servants, policymakers and public sector leaders. Our reports combine exclusive survey data, expert analysis and interviews with government leaders from around the world to help public sector organisations improve performance, inform policy and deliver better outcomes for citizens.
Empowering Public Servants to Make Confident, Informed Decisions with Data and AI
Governments around the world are working hard to extract – and act upon – the insights held in their vast data stores, and to embrace AI and the promise it holds for innovation and transformation. At the same time, economic pressures and constrained budgets are compelling public servants to do more with fewer resources, while governments are called to respond quickly and effectively to complex challenges.
Against this backdrop, data and AI can help those working in government both to streamline their workflows and make fast, informed decisions. This in turn drives efficiency and can unlock productivity gains – and ultimately lead to improved performance and better services for citizens.
Global Government Forum surveyed over 600 civil servants worldwide to understand how data and AI are being used in government decision-making and where there are further challenges and opportunities.
Read this report for insight into how governments are using data and AI in decision-making today and the potential for the future; the major challenges to using data and AI in decision-making and how to overcome them; and how AI agents can be used in decision-making.
The report includes examples of data and AI in decision-making from countries including the UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, the US, and more.
(Published September 2025)
Making Government Work: Five Pillars of a Modern, Effective Civil Service
Around the world, governments are dealing with substantial challenges – from economic stagnation to the transition to net zero, military conflicts and cyber threats. Governments are also grappling with shifting geopolitics and the rise of populism – and all of these factors are set against the emergence of new technologies, including generative AI, which have the potential to fundamentally transform every aspect of society, but which also pose huge ethical, security and regulatory questions for the public sector.
The Making Government Work: Five pillars of a modern, effective civil service report was undertaken to help identify the key characteristics needed in a modern public service, with priorities ranging across leadership, digital service delivery, workforce development, cross-departmental integration, and citizen trust.
This report has been covered by publications around the world including the Financial Times, BBC Radio 4’s PM programme, Ottawa Citizen, Fed Manager, the Mandarin and the i newspaper.
(Published August 2024)
The Future of the Finance Ministry
From setting tax rates and financial regulations that create the ground rules for national economies, to allocating – and tracking – spending for public services, finance ministries occupy an essential role at the centre of government. Geopolitical crises have reinforced the importance of finance ministries, as they tackle both immediate shocks and long-term trends such as ageing populations, the digital transition, and the impact of moves to net zero.
Against this backdrop, this global research explores what the future finance ministry looks like and how to prepare for it.
Based on interviews with 10 senior leaders from finance ministries – led by John McCarthy, chief economist in Ireland’s Department of Finance, working with Ian Hall, editor, Global Government Finance, and Richard Johnstone, executive editor, Global Government Forum – the study identifies four key themes: the evolving role of the finance ministry in response to uncertainty; the shift to more flexible finance systems that support outcomes; digital transformation and the growth of AI; and the battle for talent and trust.
(Published May 2026)
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