Harnessing AI for better government: Practical use cases and lessons learned • AI Center for Government

June 12, 2025

Artificial intelligence can help governments deliver smarter and more responsive services, but only if the technology is rooted in the real-world needs of government teams and the people they serve.

That was a key takeaway from a recent event hosted by the Partnership for Public Service AI Center for Government™, where current and former federal, state and local leaders shared lessons they have learned from putting AI into practice.

Piloting generative AI with front-line workers in Pennsylvania

For Harrison MacRae, director of emerging technologies for Pennsylvania, AI integration started with the people closest to the work. His team piloted the use of ChatGPT Enterprise with 175 employees, becoming the first state government to partner with OpenAI under enterprise terms. Participants received training, and their feedback was gathered through hundreds of surveys and interviews.

MacRae saw impact from using generative AI in three core areas:

Strategic communications – tailoring messages for different audiences

Innovation – brainstorming and exploring new ideas

“Bureaucracy hacking” – simplifying forms, drafting documents and accelerating approvals

Even a human resources team with little AI experience found ways to integrate ChatGPT into its daily work, using the tool to process backlogs more efficiently.

“We’re not looking for AI use cases,” MacRae said. He first identifies the problems teams are already working on and only then determines if AI is the right solution.

Delivering critical information via chatbots

Kendee Yamaguchi, who served in leadership roles for both Snohomish County, Washington, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, shared how chatbots helped meet urgent public needs.

In Snohomish County—home to the first confirmed U.S. COVID-19 case—officials quickly deployed a multilingual AI-powered chatbot to provide real-time answers on testing, vaccines and small business grants. Shortly after launching, the tool handled more than 100,000 questions and cut incoming calls by 40%, easing the burden on staff during a critical time.

At Commerce, Yamaguchi supported the launch of the Global Business Navigator, an AI tool that helps businesses find export resources, connect with trade specialists and explore financing options.

Now leading the Asian Counseling and Referral Service, she is applying AI to improve internal operations while safeguarding client privacy.

“AI is really helping us respond faster, work smarter, and—very significantly—serve more people,” she said, adding, “AI is only as good as the people and processes behind it.”

Scaling with purpose

Samuel Navarro, formerly of the General Services Administration and now a strategic account executive at Microsoft, highlighted the importance of solutions that scale. He shared several government-wide opportunities:

Accelerating Freedom of Information Act requests, with AI suggesting redactions and humans ensuring accuracy.

Improving accessibility, using AI to flag agency platform content that is not compliant with current regulations.

Automating routine tasks, like document drafting, by connecting tools to existing systems of record.

Navarro stressed that AI is most effective when it amplifies the mission-driven work of public servants. AI can empower government leaders to fully invest themselves “in a career that’s rewarding,” he said.

Final takeaways for public sector leaders

Start with the problem, not the tech. Let the challenge drive the solution, not the other way around.

Support your people. Successful integration of AI depends on training, change management and trust.

Stay curious. Leaders do not need to be AI experts, but they do need to ask the right questions.

Lauren Anstey, the event moderator and the Partnership’s vice president for public service leadership, added, “It’s okay to say, ‘I don’t know this basic thing about AI,’ or ‘I want to have a better understanding.’” That mindset—grounded, strategic and human—is what will guide public sector leaders through the next wave of AI advancements.

See the full recording of the event here:

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This post was edited with generative AI.