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UK to host global AI safety summit at iconic World War II codebreaking headquarters
The UK government has announced it will host an inaugural global AI safety summit in November at the iconic Bletchley Park, where British codebreakers famously cracked the ‘Enigma’ code during World War II. UK prime minister Rishi Sunak first set out plans for the UK to host the summit in June, amid growing concerns around…
The twin transition: digital transformation in government can also boost sustainability
From using data and AI to decide where to install electric vehicle charging points to cloud adoption, there are many ways digital technologies can help governments support sustainability. At a recent webinar, experts from around the world explored the opportunities, challenges and how to manage the transformations in tandem As governments increasingly turn to digital…
Cloud computing: the future of public sector analytics
The COVID-19 pandemic has driven governments to accelerate their digital transformation programmes and to focus more closely on data. In this partner content piece, Dr Steve Bennett, director of global government practice at analytics software specialist SAS, explores the possibilities of more robust data analytics strategies and explains how the company is working with Microsoft…
US tech firms and universities back AI research platform law
More than 20 major US universities and technology companies have given their support to bipartisan legislation aimed at creating a national artificial intelligence (AI) research platform, it emerged last week. Companies including Google, IBM and Microsoft, alongside Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, and Johns Hopkins universities, signed a letter supporting the National AI Research Task Force Act,…
Transformation journey: from digitally challenged to digitally savvy
As anyone in government knows, implementing a digital transformation strategy can be fraught with difficulty, especially when there are legacy systems to contend with. Tourism NI – the body responsible for the development and marketing of Northern Ireland as a tourist destination in partnership with government and industry – had ambitions to drive innovation through…
Taxation in a digital age: Global Government Finance Summit, part 6
Individuals and businesses are increasingly generating value in the digital sphere, but governments’ systems of taxation remain rooted firmly in the physical world. At the 2018 Global Government Finance Summit, delegates discussed this existential threat to public sector revenues. Matt Ross reports Like every other arm of government, taxation authorities can find some powerful tools…
Singapore’s digital pioneers: Global Government Finance Summit, part 5
Not every nation enjoys the advantages that have enabled Singapore to lead the way in digital public services. But as delegates learned at the 2018 Global Government Finance Summit, there is much to learn from the city-state’s experience. Matt Ross reports Singapore has a well-deserved reputation as a trailblazer in digital public services. So at…
A revolution in health and care: Global Government Finance Summit, part 3
With 295 municipalities and 20 hospital districts serving its 5.5m people, Finland’s health and care system looks cumbersome. It is time, the country’s finance department chief told delegates at the Global Government Summit, for radical reform. Matt Ross reports As developed countries struggle to meet fast-rising demand for health and social care provision in an…
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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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