The weight of the world has never been heavier – and it rests on the shoulders of government. Geopolitical hostilities, war, climate change, economic turmoil, large-scale migration and workforce shortages are worldwide issues. These challenges are compounded when governments have political divisions and stymied processes.
Citizens want their government to be nimble and responsive to unexpected events and provide innovative approaches to real problems. As we look to 2024, three emerging trends are ripe with opportunities to improve lives and protect society.
1. Do good with generative AI
Tools like ChatGPT are becoming a part of everyday life. And, as more digital natives join the workforce, there’s no avoiding evolving tech.
While there’s tremendous potential for generative AI, there are also risks to citizens and governments. With awareness comes great responsibility. Government leaders have a duty to protect citizens and safeguard against misinformation created by advanced AI tools. Only a few governments have policies governing the creation, use and management of AI.
In the new year, governments must understand AI and establish policies and laws. In addition, identifying areas that will benefit from the technology and developing a plan for implementing AI will be paramount.
2. IoT for better, safer communities
Many governments are already applying advanced sensors, communication tech, and robust computing tools to improve citizen services.
IoT is a powerful asset for cities, from managing traffic conditions to understanding migration patterns to mitigating floods and reducing air pollution.
Defense organizations are using IoT for situational awareness and supply chains. The need will continue in 2024.
Many health care agencies are adopting wearables to monitor and manage patient well-being. Wearables will gain in popularity because of the ease of use for patients and real-time data caregivers can collect.
The expectation for accurate, real-time answers to make swift decisions and act isn’t going away. IoT will play a vital role in the year ahead.
3. Expanded use of analytics in public safety
Finding the needle in the haystack – or in a million haystacks – is precisely what analytics can do. With the prevalence of fraud and the exponential growth of internet crimes, governments have their hands full. But analytics can do even more. It’s no longer just for identifying crimes; analytics can substantially reduce workloads and backlogs. This is a crucial point related to talent retention and hiring.
2024 offers much promise
Governments will be applying analytics to streamline workflow and reduce inefficiencies. It will be a win-win for public safety organizations and citizens.
Rising to challenges, protecting and serving citizens is what governments do. In 2024, they must embrace emerging tech, apply it responsibly and be dynamic.
