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Integrate mission governance into climate policy, says OECD
Governments should integrate mission governance into climate mitigation efforts to better drive progress towards green goals, the OECD has said. In its report – ‘Harnessing mission governance to achieve national climate targets’ – published last week, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development recommended that governments leverage mission governance principles to meet their Nationally-Determined…
AI productivity for public sector: A C$700bn opportunity
Aneeta Bains, managing partner, Canadian Federal Public Service, IBM Canada Two years ago, no one could have predicted the rapid and sustained development and integration of generative AI into our everyday work and personal lives. Today, AI is pervasive across governments and businesses, yet according to Gartner, on average, 54% of AI projects never move…
How Government Works: A guide to the corridors of power in the UK
Understanding how the UK government, parliament and civil service work can be daunting. In a series of podcasts, Global Government Forum provides an in-depth guide to how the UK government functions. This series looks at the practices, procedures, conventions and relationships across government. Each episode focuses on some of the key elements of how government…
‘Radical incrementalism’: new APS commissioner details 10-year reform agenda
Priorities for reform of the Australian Public Service (APS) will include a focus on people, behaviours and strengthening laws and institutions to ensure that the APS can sustain delivering and achieving outcomes for the Australian government. In his first public speech in the role, recently appointed APS commissioner, Gordon de Brouwer, stated that “everything in…
Treat AI with ‘same spirit of urgency’ as climate change, says UK PM
UK prime minister Rishi Sunak urged world leaders to view artificial intelligence (AI) with the same humanitarian concern they would climate change during a visit to the White House on 8 June. Sunak’s words come as the UK readies to host the first international AI summit this autumn, at which Western leaders are expected to…
Innovation 2023 five minutes with… Sana Khareghani, former head of the UK Office for AI
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…
Press OK for AI: are governments ready to automate?
Automation and artificial intelligence could transform public services for the better, but the potential pitfalls are many. An international panel of experts discussed the issues and how to overcome them Governments around the world are waking up to the potential of automation and AI. Together, they promise to reduce errors, slash costs, and speed up…
Indian government to activate digital ID at birth
The Indian government is working to expand its ‘Aadhaar’ digital ID scheme by assigning unique identification numbers to citizens at the time their birth is registered. Sixteen states in India currently link Aadhaar ID numbers to birth registrations. The Indian government’s plan to expand the programme means that all 28 states could start issuing Aadhaar…
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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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