The Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA) has developed the Digital Government Policy Framework and the Public Service Digital Transformation Strategy as part of initiatives to guide the public service in embracing the use of Artificial Intelligence in planning and service delivery. Government considers, AI “as a set of computer science techniques that enable systems to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision making, and language translation”.
The following are already being implemented to ensure that the transformative nature of AI is fully harnessed:
The Department is alive to the possibilities that AI will have in revolutionising industries as diverse as health care, education, law, criminal justice, journalism, aerospace, and manufacturing, with the potential to profoundly affect how people live, work, and play. However, it also acknowledges the existence of significant obstacles that require attention, including ethical considerations in AI usage, tackling the issue of data scarcity, ensuring universal access to AI benefits, and addressing the digital divide, among other challenges.
To fully capitalize on the potential of AI, it is crucial for all participants in the ecosystem to play their respective roles. These include:
The National School of Government (NSG) continues to host Masterclasses to create awareness on the use of artificial intelligence in the public service.
The DPSA, in partnership with the Centre for Public Service Innovation (CPSI), the Wits School of Governance, the DCDT and international partners including the Danish Agency of Digitisation, the OECD and the United Nations University is compiling global best practices to strengthen streamlining of open digital governance and transformation. Denmark is the highest-ranking country on the eGovernment Survey and according to the 2022 UN eGovernment Survey, South Africa is ranked the highest on the Continent on digitisation and digital transformation and this approach will assist the country to retain the top spot.
The CPSI is also investing in supporting innovators within and outside of government who contribute to the digitisation and digital transformation of the Public Sector including through “hackathons” and piloting projects such as Guardian Health which uses AI in improving diagnostics in Health. Top of FormThe approach to the adoption of AI is rooted in the professionalisation and wage bill management imperative for meeting the needs and expectations of society through improving the efficiency and effectiveness of office work by automating routine tasks, improving collaboration, and providing intelligent insights and recommendations.
The department acknowledges the numerous advantages that can be attained by integrating AI into various sectors and the abovementioned approach showcases how these and the challenges are being comprehensively responded to.
Bottom of FormEnd