Held on February 7th, the unveiling of the Public Sector Tech Watch (PSTW) & GovTech Connect webinar provided a comprehensive showcase of AI and Blockchain's transformative role in public services. Organised to highlight the PSTW Observatory's impact on innovation through technology adoption and public-private partnerships, the webinar facilitated a rich dialogue on integrating these technologies to enhance government operations, efficiency, transparency, and citizen engagement. The event agenda included a comprehensive set of topics revolving around the adoption of emerging technologies in the EU public sector:

• Policy context and objectives of the webinar. Presentation of the policy context in which Public Sector Tech Watch and GovTech Connect are framed.
• Unveiling the Observatory and Emerging Tech Trends in the EU Public Sector: Demo of the collection and in-depth examination of the PSTW report titled "Public Sector Tech Watch: Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain in the European public sector," exploring current trends and the impact of technology on public services. 
• Observatory data for research: Overview on the usability and relevance of the PSTW observatory data in research, with insights into the 'Fresh Minds' initiatives and how data is influencing public sector innovation.
• Success stories panel: An instructive conversation with public sector representatives and startup leaders about public-private partnerships, technology adoption in the EU public sector, and the roles of the Public Sector Tech Watch and GovTech Connect in fostering innovation.
• Launch of the PSTW "Best Cases Award" and conclusion of the event.

Webinar highlights

The event kicked off with an overview of the policy context, focusing on pivotal policies like the Interoperable Europe Act and the Artificial Intelligence Act. The importance of trustworthiness and human-centric Artificial Intelligence (AI) was specially emphasised. This overarching principle needs to be sustained by innovation enablers, management and governance structures, and a policy approach of unlocking barriers. The intervention demonstrated how these pillars can be operationalised through  complementary initiatives such as the PSTW observatory and GovTech Connect. PSTW acts as an observatory to monitor and raise awareness of emerging technologies, while GovTech Connect facilitates the collaboration of various stakeholders (SMEs, startups, etc.) in digital service creation. Both projects aim to increase the uptake and awareness of innovative technologies within the public administration.

The next session unveiled the PSTW observatory, featuring a live demo of the observatory's functionalities: the cases database - with over 1200 cases of emerging technologies-, the stories - testimonials to showcase implementation of emerging tech in the EU public sector, and the knowledge centre - a repository of related publications, projects and initiatives. Additionally, the session encouraged users to propose content and to submit their own cases of technologies in the EU public sector. The discussion extended to the upcoming report titled "Public Sector Tech Watch: Mapping Innovation in EU Public Services," promising a detailed analysis of AI and blockchain adoption across the EU. The report emphasised the preponderance of AI at the national administration level, indicating a concentration of resources to finance and execute AI projects and the growing interest and experimental adoption of Blockchain within the EU public sector. Stay tuned for its release!

The event also spotlighted the PSTW Data for Research & the Fresh Minds Initiative, demonstrating the Joint Research Centre’s commitment to advancing digital transformation governance. Through innovative research and community building, the initiative aims to foster collaboration among early-career researchers, policy experts, and practitioners. This session featured two researchers, Carolina Gerli, who investigates AI's role in reducing corruption in public procurement across various EU countries and Stanislav Mahula, who focuses on the governance and implementation of Blockchain and Web 3.0 technologies in the public sector. They both shared insights into their respective research projects using data from the Public Sector Tech Watch.

During the GovTech Connect & Public Sector Tech Watch Webinar, a diverse panel of experts from the public sector and startups shared insights on AI adoption and collaboration. This diverse dialogue underscored the crucial interplay between public administrations, startups, and AI technologies in driving forward public sector innovation and efficiency.

Miquel Estapé delved into the strategic importance of fostering an open innovation ecosystem where public sectors can leverage scalable AI solutions. By highlighting successful collaborations between government agencies and startups, he showcased examples of how such partnerships have led to significant improvements in public service delivery, emphasising the need for a supportive policy framework to encourage these innovations.

Ibon Arechalde expanded on the critical role of AI in enhancing road safety and efficiency. He shared specific examples of AI-driven projects that have successfully reduced accidents and improved traffic management. Arechalde stressed the value of data sharing between public and private entities, advocating for a more collaborative approach to tackle road safety challenges.

Vincenzo di Nicola provided a deep dive into the transformational impact of AI on the Italian Social Security Institute's operations. He discussed specific process automation projects, detailing the benefits in terms of efficiency, cost reduction, and service quality. Di Nicola emphasised the institute's commitment to developing in-house AI expertise, highlighting training programs and partnerships with academic institutions.

Tom Somers focused on the transformative potential of AI in assessing and managing public infrastructure, particularly buildings. By presenting case studies from SkenarioLabs, he illustrated the accuracy and efficiency gains achieved through AI analytics. Somers argued for the importance of establishing trust and credibility for startups in the GovTech ecosystem, suggesting that successful case studies and government support are key to overcoming barriers to adoption.

Ott Velsberg shared Estonia's pioneering approach to AI integration across government services, emphasizing the country's investment in open-source technologies and strategic procurement processes. He discussed specific AI applications in Estonia, such as chatbots for public services and AI-driven analytics for policy making, showcasing how these innovations have led to improved efficiency and citizen satisfaction.

The event concluded with the PSTW "Best Case Awards," an initiative that celebrates excellence in administrative efficiency and public service delivery, respectively. The application process involves submission, evaluation by a committee, and an award ceremony in the summer of 2024. The initiative encourages sharing of best practices, offering recognition, networking opportunities, and promotion across PSTW platforms, aiming to inspire other European public administrations. 

For more details, read the report and watch the video recording below!