AI in Public Administration: Why Technology Is No Longer the Biggest Challenge

Generative Artificial Intelligence is beginning to transform the way public administrations across Europe operate. From drafting documents and analysing information to interacting with citizens, tools such as ChatGPT are becoming increasingly present in the day-to-day work of public institutions.

Yet the real challenge is no longer whether public administrations will adopt AI.

The challenge is how they will do it.

Two recent European Commission initiatives—the Joint Research Centre (JRC) report The adoption of Generative AI in EU public administrations: exploring individual behaviours and organisational approaches and the launch of the AI Toolbox for European Public Services under the Interoperable Europe initiative and the Apply AI Alliance—deliver the same message: successful AI adoption depends not only on technology itself, but on the ability of public institutions to use it responsibly, effectively and at scale.

AI Is Already Present in Public Administration

According to the JRC report, the use of generative AI is no longer a future scenario—it is already happening.

As early as 2024:

▪ 30% of European public managers were already using ChatGPT or similar tools in their daily work.

▪ 44% planned to adopt these technologies in the near future.

In other words, nearly three quarters of Europe's public sector leaders were already using—or preparing to use—generative AI.

The Rise of "Shadow AI"

One of the report's most interesting findings is that, in many organisations, AI is being adopted before institutions have established clear rules for its use.

The JRC cites research showing that 90% of organisations report employees using personal AI tools for work-related tasks.

This phenomenon, commonly referred to as shadow AI, occurs when employees use ChatGPT or other AI applications on their own initiative, without formal policies, procedures or governance mechanisms in place.

Simply put, technology is evolving faster than organisations.

High Expectations, Limited Implementation

The report also highlights an interesting contrast.

On one hand, public administrations are highly optimistic:

▪ 56% of government organisations expect GenAI to bring transformative changes within the next year.

▪ 78% of public sector leaders believe their organisations are adopting AI rapidly or very rapidly.

On the other hand, actual implementation remains limited:

▪ Only 13% of public organisations use GenAI on a daily basis.

▪ Fewer than 25% of European public administrations are expected to provide AI-powered public services by 2027.

The conclusion is clear: enthusiasm is high, but large-scale implementation is still in its early stages.

The Challenge Is No Longer the Technology

Perhaps the report's most important conclusion is that the main barriers to AI adoption are no longer technological.

Public institutions already have access to AI tools.

The real challenge is building the institutional capacity needed to use them responsibly and sustainably.

The report identifies several key barriers:

• limited digital and AI skills;

• insufficient data quality and interoperability;

• difficulties in scaling pilot projects;

• lack of clear governance and accountability frameworks;

• the need for leadership and change management.

AI Toolbox: Moving Beyond Pilot Projects

To address these challenges, the European Commission has launched the AI Toolbox for European Public Services, developed under the Interoperable Europe initiative and the new Apply AI Strategy.

Its core message is both simple and highly relevant:

"AI adoption succeeds when it improves a public service—not when it merely automates a task."

In other words, success is not about introducing AI simply because it is a new technology. It is about using AI where it delivers better public services for citizens.

What the AI Toolbox Offers

The new platform provides European public administrations with:

• reusable open-source AI tools;

• best practices and real-life use cases from public administrations across Europe;

• training resources and capacity-building materials;

• guidance on governance, public procurement and legal compliance;

• methodologies for scaling and replicating successful AI solutions.

A Three-Step Approach

The AI Toolbox recognises that public administrations across Europe are at different levels of digital maturity.

For this reason, it proposes a gradual adoption pathway.

Preparation – building governance frameworks, digital skills, data standards and risk management capabilities.

Transformation – deploying AI across essential public services and administrative processes.

Innovation – developing advanced use cases that position European public administrations as global leaders in trustworthy AI.

What Does This Mean for Romania?

For Romanian public administrations, the message is particularly relevant.

The discussion is no longer about choosing a chatbot or experimenting with new AI applications. It is about building institutional capacity: developing skills, governance frameworks, high-quality data and organisational processes that enable the responsible use of artificial intelligence.

This is also the direction we are pursuing through The European Digital Innovation Hub in Transilvania (TEDIHT). Under Call 4, dedicated exclusively to public administration, we are supporting public institutions in their digital transformation journey. At the same time, through our Working Group for Public Administration Digitalisation, we facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between public authorities, technology companies and experts.

In this context, initiatives such as the AI Toolbox can become valuable practical resources for institutions seeking to move beyond isolated pilot projects and achieve meaningful, sustainable digital transformation.

AI in European Public Administration – Key Figures

▪ 30% of public managers already use GenAI.

▪ 44% plan to adopt it in the near future.

▪ 90% of organisations report employees using personal AI tools at work.

▪ 56% expect AI to bring transformative changes.

▪ 78% believe AI adoption is happening rapidly.

▪ Only 13% use GenAI on a daily basis.

▪ Fewer than 25% of public administrations are expected to deliver GenAI-powered public services by 2027.

Sources:

• Joint Research Centre (JRC), The adoption of Generative AI in EU public administrations: exploring individual behaviours and organisational approaches.

• European Commission – AI Toolbox for European Public Services, Interoperable Europe / Apply AI Strategy.