More and more, federal agencies are looking to integrate artificial intelligence and automation into their day-to-day workplace functions, particularly to implement internal controls and compliance measures to counteract fraud and improve efficiency. At a Sept. 18 Association of Government Accountants (AGA) event, experts in AI and robotic process automation from public- and private-sector organizations stressed that automating lower-level functions, such as data processing claims, would free up employees to work on higher functions that require more analytical skills and mission-specific duties. "Artificial intelligence operates in real time to enable personalized experiences," said Dan Chenok, executive director of IBM's Center for the Business of Government and a former government official. Comparing AI to the chat boxes that often accompany internet users when they're shopping online, Chenok pointed out that such technologies are constantly building upon themselves to improve users' experiences and stamp out common problems that users may encounter when using a government website. AI and RPA also allow workers to identify patterns of potential fraud or other misuse, according to Jennifer Main, the chief operating officer for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

The embrace of artificial intelligence has come quickly in government. In May 2017, Congress established the bipartisan Congressional Artificial Intelligence Caucus, and members have since introduced numerous pieces of AI legislation. More recently, the administration launched the American AI Initiative through a February 2019 executive order, and the Department of Defense released its own strategy on how to incorporate AI into national security. As government use of AI evolves, agency leaders will look for pathways to capitalize on opportunities, and the workforce will need new technical and social skills to succeed in AI-augmented workplaces. A new report -- More Than Meets AI: Assessing the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Work of Government -- aims to assist in that effort.