An IBM Think blog post published Wednesday highlights a report from late 2023 by the IBM® Institute for Business Value (IBV) which brings to attention a gap between the public’s perceived trust in government and what government leaders believe, revealing a general skepticism towards new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), yet a broad endorsement for government use of generative AI. Conducted across nine countries, including the US and Japan, the survey involved over 13,000 adults knowledgeable about AI, focusing on their views on generative AI’s governmental and personal use.
The findings underscore the importance of trust in government effectiveness, as Cristina Caballe Fuguet, Global Government Leader at IBM Consulting, noted:
“Trust is at the core of the government’s ability to perform their duties effectively.” The study suggests a decline in trust since the pandemic began, with a significant disparity in trust perception between the public and government leaders.
Despite reservations about AI, there’s a consensus on the potential benefits of generative AI in government services, with most respondents supporting its use in customer service and education.
The survey underscores the necessity for open, transparent AI implementation to build public trust. Casey Wreth, Global Government Industry Leader at IBM Technology, emphasized the importance of AI governance for risk management and compliance, advocating for transparent AI workflows through tools like IBM watsonx.governance™ to demystify AI operations and ensure responsible technology use. This approach aims to balance innovation with accountability, ensuring generative AI’s ethical integration into public services.
