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Simplifying citizens’ lives: Five minutes with Birna Íris Jónsdóttir, chief executive of Digital Iceland
In this sister series to our ‘Five minutes with’ interviews, we share insights from the civil and public service leaders who will speak at our Innovation 2025 conference. Taking place in London on 25 and 26 March, attendees will hear about how their peers are developing new approaches to policymaking and service delivery. In this interview,…
One step at a time: How three countries approach innovation in government
Governments around the world are trying to innovate to drive efficiency, deliver better services and meet citizen expectations around speed and ease of use. On a recent Global Government Forum webinar, held with knowledge partner Visa, digital leaders from Iceland, Canada and Finland shared examples of innovation from their countries as well as the major…
Succeeding with government digital services: Lessons from the UK, the US and Iceland
Digitising services is intended to make it easier for citizens to interact with government and complete common tasks. There is still much work to do here and each new digital product, service or iteration creates opportunity for improvement. During a recent Global Government Forum webinar, supported by knowledge partner Maximus, government leaders discussed their approach…
Baltic states tackle gender bias in AI, the world’s most gender-equal country, and more
Welcome to the latest edition of the Global Government Women’s Network newsletter. This month, we hear from Elise Legendre, chief data officer at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, who told GGF: “We are at a turning point right now, on the cusp of a profound transformation with all the promises of data-driven technologies such as artificial…
From the financial crisis to the future of AI: Five minutes with Iceland’s director of economic affairs
In this interview, Tómas Brynjólfsson, deputy permanent secretary and director of economic affairs in Iceland’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, discusses his civil service career and learning from international peers. This is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring participants from this week’s Global Government Finance Summit in Dublin (5-6 June). What are you most interested…
Making digitisation of government services successful: Five minutes with Iceland’s Vigdís Jóhannsdóttir
In this interview, Vigdís Jóhannsdóttir, chief marketing officer at Digital Iceland, tells Global Government Forum about building trust in digital, her fear that negative PR is stifling government projects, and why other countries could learn from Iceland’s parental leave policy. This is part of a ‘Five minutes’ series featuring speakers from this week’s Global Government Forum…
Biden’s EPA awards $20bn for climate projects, court rules national climate action is a human rights issue, and more
Welcome to this month’s Global Government Forum Sustainability Monitor, bringing you the latest government-related news on this topic from around the world. We want these newsletters to provide insight on the work of government and we always want to hear from you, so please get in touch to let us know about your challenges and…
How governments can make the digital transformation journey – from Barbados to Iceland
Iceland and Barbados might seem very different. They are about 4,000 miles apart and have wildly different climates for a start. However, as two small island nations with similar populations, it turns out there is much that the Barbados government can learn from Iceland – about digital transformation in particular. This, the fifth and final…
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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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