Governments have budget and ambition for AI, but the bar is rightly high: information must be factually accurate, decisions verifiable, and citizens must not be the victims of a system that occasionally invents something. So how do you start sensibly? A few practical lessons, partly based on our own work for the public sector.

Start small and concrete

The biggest pitfall is starting too big. Choose one process with a lot of recurring search or question work, for example unlocking policy documents for civil servants, or answering frequently asked questions from residents. Define clear quality criteria upfront and test a solution there before rolling out broadly.

Reliability is not a feature, it is the core

For government, an AI that "usually gets it right" is not good enough. The solution is a system that answers only from your own controlled sources, that shows a source citation with every answer, and that honestly stays silent when the answer is not there. That way every answer stays verifiable and the organisation keeps control.

We proved this is possible at national scale with KiesKennis, the election chatbot for eight regional public broadcasters. It answered 43,943 voter questions, with 99% factually accurate answers, always with a source, fully GDPR-compliant and hosted within the EU. Elections are the most sensitive domain there is, and precisely there the system showed that reliable AI is achievable.

Mind the GDPR and the AI Act

Two things deserve attention from day one:

  • Privacy (GDPR). Host within the EU, enter no unnecessary personal data, and be transparent towards the people involved. Consider a DPIA for sensitive applications.
  • The AI Act. Depending on the application, obligations around transparency and risk management apply. Factor this into the requirements you set for a vendor.

Procure wisely

Many government organisations have budget but lack the knowledge to procure AI responsibly. Know which requirements to set for vendors, how to assess a demo critically, and how to avoid vendor lock-in. Our Responsible AI procurement training is made specifically for this.

Are you considering AI within your municipality or public organisation? Book a no-obligation intro call, or first take the free AI scan to see where the biggest opportunity lies.