GenAI and the Future of Government Work

On behalf of the IBM Center for The Business of Government, we are pleased to present this new report, GenAI and the Future of Government Work by Professor William G.Resh, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University with contributors Gül Nisa Gürbüz, Yi Ming, Xinyao (Andy) Xia, Michael Overton, PhD, and Brandon De Bruhl.

This timely report explores the transformative potential of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in reshaping the U.S. federal workforce, one of the largest and most complex workforces in the world. Dr.Resh’s analysis provides a forward-looking perspective on how GenAI can serve as a collaborative partner, enhancing human capabilities and driving efficiency without displacing the critical human judgment, creativity, and interpersonal skills that define public service.

The report guides federal agencies in strategically integrating GenAI into their workforce planning. Through a cutting-edge analysis of federal occupations, the authors highlight where AI can complement, augment, or automate tasks, offering a nuanced view of its impacts across diverse job types. Key recommendations include investing in targeted retraining, upskilling, and cross-training to foster human-AI synergy, alongside prioritizing recruitment and technological investments that align with AI’s productivity potential. By embracing these strategies, agencies can cultivate a workforce that is more innovative, efficient, and resilient in an increasingly digital era.

This report expands the IBM Center’s ongoing commitment to exploring the intersection of technology, workforce dynamics, and public administration. The report builds on multiple IBM Center reports that have helped government leaders to achieve success in using AI and innovative technologies to improve mission delivery, including Navigating Generative AI in Government, which presents 11 strategic pathways for integrating generative AI in government, Enhancing Government Payment Integrity: Leveraging AI and Other Emerging Technologies, which offers pathways to enhance payment integrity leveraging AI and other emerging technologies, and Pathways to Trusted Progress with Artificial Intelligence, which explores case studies, addressing the potential that AI has to transform how government agencies interact with citizens, along with risks that can arise when AI is left unchecked.Along with other reports—Digital Modernization for Government: An Implementation Framework, A Prepared Federal Government: Preventing Fraud and Improper Payments in Emergency Funding, and AI and the Modern Tax Agency—these works together underscore the IBM Center’s dedication to equipping government leaders with actionable strategies to navigate technological change.

We are grateful to Dr. Resh and his contributors for this insightful contribution and believe the report will serve as a valuable resource for federal leaders seeking to harness GenAI’s potential, while keeping the human element at the heart of public service.