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Digital identity dilemmas – and how governments are working to overcome them
If done right, digital credentials can provide the convenience and user experience citizens crave. At the Global Government Digital Summit, public service leaders shared their approaches to digital ID Citizens will only adopt digital ID systems if they are “human-centred, focusing on solving people’s problems,” said Miquel Estapé, chief executive of Open Government of Catalonia.…
Turbulent times demand robust benefit payment systems
Providing welfare payments and support to citizens in need is one of the key functions of government. The unprecedented crises of recent years have highlighted the importance of flexible and responsive benefit mechanisms. On a recent Global Government Forum webinar, experts set out why these systems need to be even more robust amid trends such as…
UK government responds to digital ID ‘misconceptions’ after public consultation
The UK government has published a myth-busing article over its plans to develop digital identify verification for online services after what it said were “several misconceptions” about the programme. The Cabinet Office produced the fact page after it said that a consultation on draft legislation to support identity verification “appear[ed] to have been significantly influenced…
UK government officially shuts down beleaguered Verify ID service
The UK government’s controversial GOV.UK Verify platform has been closed down for good following an announcement that no public services were using it to support user logins. The platform, developed by the Government Digital Service (GDS), was operational for just under seven years prior to its closure, having launched several years behind schedule in 2016.…
Hard lessons: former GDS chief on what works in government – and what doesn’t
Reflecting on his three-year stint running the UK’s Government Digital Service, Kevin Cunnington was as open about his failures as his successes. Now he’s running a research programme to help others avoid the transformation traps. Matt Ross reports “Visions are largely irrelevant,” said Kevin Cunnington. “Most of our digital visions are the same: we all…
US digital identity bill passes through to Senate
An interagency task force whose job would be to support “reliable, interoperable digital identity verification in the public and private sectors” could be established by the US federal government after a Senate committee vote. The legislation behind the task force, known as the Improving Digital Identity Act, was passed by the US Senate Homeland Security…
Finding your identity: how three governments are developing digital ID
Digital ID is an essential building block for rapid progress on transforming public services – but only a handful of governments have launched effective, popular systems. At the Global Government Digital Summit, digital leaders from Germany, Catalonia and Azerbaijan explained how they’re addressing the problem “Citizen digital identity is very polarising,” said Kevin Cunnington. “There…
Digital ID: US government poised for national rollout, while Australia finds its ‘North Star’ to harmonise standards
The US federal government’s Login .gov digital identity service could be expanded nationally, according to the terms of a draft executive order, while the Australian government has set out plans to join up the nation’s fragmented ID system. The draft US White House order obtained by federal technology title FCW tasks the General Services Administration…
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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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