Gartner has released its list of the top ten trends for CIOs to watch out for as  the use of technology in the public sector continues its rapid evolution.

According to the tech research consultancy, over the last two decades government has been moving into a “post-digital” era where digital administration has become so widespread that it is normalised, opening the door to whole new vistas.

“The early focus was on putting existing government transactions online, then digital government shifted that focus to services redesign,” Gartner research director Dean Lacheca told Government News.

“Future digital investments will prioritise policy or mission objectives.”

Hyerautomation

Gartner identifies “hyperautomation” as one of the top tech growth areas for government in 2023.

 Spurred largely by Covid and the move to hybrid work, the trend will see increasing  automation of business and IT processes and the use of multiple platforms, including machine learning, robotic process automation and intelligent business process management.

Gartner predicts that 60 per cent of government organisations will prioritise business process automation by 2026, up from 35 per cent in 2022.

But the ‘hype’ in hyperautomation comes with risks around the ethical use of data, privacy, accountability, and governments’ ability to maintain the trust of the community, Gartner adds.

“So there will be a constant focus on ensuring that essential human components and accountabilities are not lost,” it says.

The promise of AI

Also making the top ten list is artificial intelligence, with Gartner predicting that by 2024, 60 per cent of government AI and data analytics investments will be tied to real-time operational decisions and outcomes.

Other top trends according to Gartner include cloud-based legacy modernisation, digital identity ecosystems and Case Management as a Service (CMaaS), or case management solutions that can be shared across various programs, verticals and levels of government.

Mr Lacheca says his personal pick for the single most crucial new technology would be AI, which he says will play a vital role in government decision intelligence.

He says while the adoption of artificial technology in government is still at the early stages, there are many cases where it’s already in use. He cites as an example a Victorian transport department pilot where real time CCTV camera feeds are automatically analysed to alert operators to incidents.

“I believe that AI for decision intelligence will be the trend that drives the most technology investments in the years to come,” Mr Lacheca says.

“An operational focus on using AI and advanced analytics to improve decision-making will not only improve citizen and workforce experience and operational effectiveness in the short-term, it will also be critical for post-digital governments focused on delivering enduring policy outcomes.”