Federal agencies will increasingly use emerging technologies like generative artificial intelligence (AI) to augment their work in 2024 and beyond, according to a new Deloitte report on government technology trends.
The forecast – which examines “the accelerating technology trends most likely to cause disruption over the next 18-24 months” across the government – predicts that officials will push to embrace new tools and services, even as they remain focused on shoring up their existing IT systems and expanding their tech workforces.
“Generative AI can play a useful role in agencies today by helping to find answers in volumes of existing policies, summarizing large documents, or suggesting content for review,” the report reads. “Educating leaders and users on what Generative AI can and cannot do helps manage expectations and improves the odds of success.”
Deloitte ranked generative AI at a five on the relevance scale – the highest score an emerging technology could receive, meaning that it would have great impact if agencies adopted the trend – but only gave the government a score of two on the readiness scale.
“Start pilots today to learn what is possible, what is required, and how to manage this new technology. Generative AI is here to stay, it’s time for agencies to learn to manage it,” the consulting company said.
On the disadvantages side of the AI front, the report notes that with the proliferation of some AI tools – like deepfakes – “governments are increasingly under pressure to protect employees, agencies, and the public.”
“Managing the combination of cyber threats, misinformation and disinformation will require coordination across agencies, companies, and countries,” the report says. “Utilizing collective intelligence and unified approaches is critical to swiftly identify and implement protective measures, as well as effectively defending agencies.”
The report also gauges that the government will trend more towards leveraging virtual reality in 2024.
“Governments can continue to harness the power of virtual reality training today, from simulating social workers entering troubled homes to soldiers engaging on the battlefield,” the report reads. “Immersive 3D training can lead to better retention than traditional methods. In parallel, using digital twins of physical installations and objects allows the growing ability to monitor, manage and improve existing infrastructure. As the spatial web evolves, it will enable activities from remote surgeries to troubleshooting. Investigating these technologies can help agencies get a leg up on the future.”
In addition to using new technologies, Deloitte’s report also forecasts that agencies will work to better manage their “technical debt” in 2024 by modernizing legacy IT systems through “a more integrated approach,” rather than “recurring ‘big bang’ modernizations.” This includes more of a focus on “preventative wellness assessments” of systems that rely on automated management and other “self-healing” services to maintain uninterrupted service, the report says.
