Implementing data and digital solutions pose challenges for government organisations at this juncture, the survey states
[SINGAPORE] The Republic’s government and public-sector organisations recognise the crucial role of data and artificial intelligence (AI) in recent times – but “an implementation gap” has still been observed by executives, based on an EY survey released on Friday (Nov 7).
The study involved nearly 500 senior government executives on a global scale, which included more than 30 from the city-state.
Optimism on AI in the Republic was a mark higher than its global peers, where 74 per cent of Singapore’s respondents acknowledged that AI adoption could lead to a significant amount of cost savings, and 68 per cent of them see its potential to enhance service delivery.
Among global peers, 64 per cent and 63 per cent of them indicated the same responses in the aforementioned categories, respectively.
However, 71 per cent of Singapore’s respondents stated that public wariness over the collection and processing of their data through AI-powered models may be holding back its integration in the government and public sector, compared with 62 per cent of global respondents.
Another factor which ranks high in causing difficulties in justifying AI investments was unclear returns and uncertain outcomes on investments, with 81 per cent of those from Singapore surveyed stating this reason.
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Only 26 per cent of Singapore respondents have deployed AI in their organisations – a figure which mirrors global numbers, said the survey.
“To overcome public wariness, (the government and public sector) can start by building transparency and accountability into how data is used,” said Samir Bedi, Singapore government and public sector leader at EY.
“In addition, demonstrating measurable outcomes like faster services, optimised costs and better citizen experiences can show clear returns from AI.”
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Data as a roadblock to scalable AI
Implementing data and digital solutions also pose challenges for government organisations at this juncture, based on the survey.
Of the Singapore respondents, 61 per cent pointed to inadequate data infrastructure including legacy systems as internal barriers, and 52 per cent cited concerns around data privacy and security.
These issues continue to undermine organisations’ ability to scale AI with confidence, noted the study.
That said, government organisations are reporting relatively strong performance in specific areas of their data infrastructure.
The survey stated that 74 per cent of Singapore respondents said their organisations are effective in managing data ethics frameworks, internal data interoperability, and data quality and reliability. This surpasses global peers’ responses of 71 per cent, 65 per cent and 70 per cent in each category, respectively.
About 55 per cent of Singapore respondents have rolled out data security training to improve workforce preparedness, behind global respondents at 64 per cent.
“While foundational capabilities may be in place, there is still work to be done to address deeper structural challenges and ensure these strengths are scaled consistently across the enterprise,” noted the study.
The time is now
Singapore senior government executives have mapped out their plans in developing AI systems, with 84 per cent of them intending to invest in digitising and automating existing services in the next three years.
About 74 per cent of them will prioritise foundational data and digital infrastructure, laying the groundwork for more advanced analytics in the future, compared with 59 per cent of global peers.
More than half also intend to enhance data privacy practices and improve data sharing within the organisation.
“The stakes are high. Citizens now expect government services to be as seamless as those from the private sector,” said Bedi. “Meeting these expectations is important to maintain public trust and confidence.”
