Artificial Intelligence (AI) offers significant opportunities across the entire public sector, including safety and justice, public spaces, and social services. AI applications can lead to improved solutions for societal challenges and enhance work processes within government organisations. With the increasing availability of high-quality data, governments are finding more opportunities to implement AI.
Encouraging AI innovation
The Dutch government has been experimenting with AI for a long time, as evidenced by the Quick Scan of AI Applications in the Public Sector (National Organisation for Applied Scientific Research, TNO, 2019). Experiments are ongoing and frequently conducted with chatbots, decision algorithms, and translation algorithms. Many of these initiatives are likely to have broader applications; there is a need within the government to learn from each other.
The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) promotes innovation with AI in the public sector in 3 ways:
1. Strengthening the ecosystem
In knowledge development for innovation with AI, the focus is not just on technical expertise but also on understanding effective project management. For example, the Expertise Centre for Procurement, PIANOo, developed an ‘innovation toolkit’ (Dutch) that is being supplemented with elements crucial to AI innovation. The Netherlands AI Coalition collaborates with government, business, educational and research institutions, and social organisations to position the Netherlands strongly in both the development and application of AI. The Netherlands also collaborates internationally, especially within Europe, on building knowledge about AI. For more information, see the ‘Coordinated plan on AI’ from the European Commission.
2. Experimentation
There is still relatively little experience with AI projects that explicitly focus on public values. It is important that best practices and case studies are available to help organisations apply AI and share solutions. As of 2020, BZK has been focusing on best practices and case studies in the social domain and public spaces, among others.
3. Challenging the market
Typical government ICT contracts offer limited opportunities for innovative SMEs due to the government’s procurement conditions. Yet, many AI innovations come from these smaller companies. The government can engage these innovative entrepreneurs in innovation through programs such as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), innovation partnerships, and hackathons. In 2019, BZK and the Ministry of Justice and Security launched the SBIR ‘AI in the Public Sector’ (Dutch). 21 proposals across various fields were approved. A new SBIR commenced in 2020.
