Half of public thinks generative AI ‘important’ for improving government services

In a recent survey of the public, just over half of respondents said they believe the use of generative artificial intelligence “is important” for improving the services delivered by government agencies, such as health care benefits and motor vehicle services.

The results published Thursday follow an annual survey conducted last April by the accounting firm KPMG, in which 1,100 adults living in the United States were asked about personal finance, the economy and attitudes on the economy and government. Only 30% said they believed government agencies were adequately using technology to improve services.

Even fewer respondents in big cities said their local governments were using technology adequately: 24% in Boston and 23% in the San Francisco Bay Area.

New Yorkers responded more positively than the national average, with a 34% approval rate. New Yorkers also reported more hopeful attitudes about generative AI than the national average. In New York, 60% said motor vehicle department services, health care benefits and managing consumer complaints could be improved by generative AI.

When asked about cybersecurity, 54% said they were more concerned about potential incidents compromising their data at government agencies, as opposed to at private companies.

The survey also revealed generational differences: 46% of Generation Z and 37% of millennials said government agencies were adequately using technology to improve their interactions with the public, whereas just 23% of Generation X and 25% of baby boomers felt similarly.

“Embracing technology is no longer an option, but a vital imperative for government agencies,” KPMG executive Lorna Stark said in the survey report. “In an era of constant change and increasing constituent expectations, leveraging technology is the key to delivering efficient and effective public services. By embracing emerging technologies such as GenAI, agencies can enhance transparency, streamline operations and improve constituent engagement.”