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Building a joined-up state: UK government leaders share Innovation 2026 insights
As we approach this year’s Innovation conference and exhibition, taking place on 24 and 25 March 2026 in London, we asked the event’s speakers to tell us what innovation-related topics they’re most looking forward to discussing – and the insights that will help drive their priorities forward in the months ahead. Here, we pull together…
A lesson in transformation: how a UK digital driving licence went from ‘not possible’ to coming this year
“When people order their groceries, book a holiday or check their bank accounts, they expect and receive a seamless and easy experience. The same should be true of government services… This sets out our ambitions to transform digital public services, deliver world-class digital technology and systems, and attract and retain the best in digital talent.”…
‘A job centre in people’s pockets’: how the UK government’s app will work – and the ambitions for the future
Few things better capture the transformations that digital technology has brought into the world in the last two decades than the ubiquity of the app. From connecting with friends and ordering food to watching television and even applying for a mortgage, most areas of life can now be conducted through the mini screen in your…
New UK digital services plan aims to ‘transform the relationship between citizen and state’
The UK government has set out a wide-ranging digital transformation plan, pledging a “giant leap forward” in the services the state provides. Science secretary Peter Kyle said that the government was focused on “overhauling how the public sector uses technology” in order to “slash the time people waste dealing with annoying processes so they can…
News in brief: UK department advances AI governance, back to office push could hit women hardest
Global Government Forum’s weekly roundup of public service news In this edition: UK Department for Business and Trade advances AI governance process The UK government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has provided initial feedback on implementing a governance process for the use of AI tools. In a blog post James McBride, AI data ethics…
‘Deliver the plan, develop your people and set out the future’: Five minutes with Public Service Data Live speaker Chris Bellamy, director of publishing, GOV.UK
In this sister series to our ‘Five minutes with’ interviews, we share insights from the civil and public service leaders who will speak at Public Service Data Live in London on 14 September. In this interview, Chris Bellamy, director of publishing, GOV.UK, at the Government Digital Service – who will join the conference session on how data can…
Innovation 2023 five minutes with… Christine Bellamy of the UK Government Digital Service
In this sister series to our ‘Five minutes with’ interviews, we share insights from the civil and public service leaders that will be speaking at our free Innovation conference. Taking place in London on 21 March 2023, and available to stream on demand, during the event officials from all over the world will promote and develop…
UK rolls out smartphone payments for public services
The UK government is rolling out Apple Pay and Google Pay on its online payments platform ‘Pay’, allowing citizens to pay for some of the public services accessible via its central website gov.uk. The new payment method is being trialed for a handful of services initially, before being expanded to include a range of central…
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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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