Current attempts to downsize the federal government notwithstanding, most people who have had to interact with the U.S., state or local governments find the process onerous, time consuming and inefficient. According to a new study from Salesforce, 87 percent of Americans polled would welcome AI agents that made those processes more efficient.
Respondents to the survey said they would use public sector AI agents in use cases that enabled 24/7 access to information and services, made accessing services more efficient, or reduced the number of websites and steps needed to address problems.
“Government leaders have a unique opportunity to scale the impact of public sector workers with AI,” said Nasi Jazayeri, executive vice president and general manager of Public Sector for Salesforce. “Civil servants working alongside AI agents can help the government serve the public faster and more effectively than ever before — without removing human connections and oversight. AI agents can serve as digital workforce multipliers that help dedicated public servants do what they do best: serve constituents with expertise and empathy.”
Salesforce estimates that last year Americans spent 10 hours applying for financial aid, nine hours enrolling in benefits programs, eight hours applying for licenses or permits, and three hours paying government fees. AI assistance could recover up to 63 percent of that time, the report said.