We are witnessing a technology tsunami, with generative AI and other innovations making the impact of technological change palpable to the masses and astounding experts with its rapid growth. Today, political leaders across the world agree that technology will transform governance; however, they remain divided about the qualitative nature of this transformation. As tides of technological innovation continue to wash over us, governments find themselves precariously balancing the promise of technology with its potential for disruption.
Technology has aided governments in doing things right. India’s Aadhaar, undeniably the world’s largest and arguably the most sophisticated global ID system, has revolutionised direct benefit transfers, significantly curbing costs and plugging leakages. Singapore’s eCitizen portal has reduced the need for citizens to physically visit government offices, exponentially cutting down wait times and enhancing convenience. Taiwan’s National Health Insurance card has streamlined payment processing, saving citizens time and effort. The UK’s Smart motorways employ active traffic management techniques to optimise capacity. These examples merely scratch the surface of how technology is helping governments boost cost and time efficiencies — doing more with less — a necessity in today’s world.
But technology has done more than just help governments do things right; it’s also helped them do the right things. A global exemplar, the e-Estonia platform has opened government processes and decision-making procedures, boosting transparency. Open data initiatives such as Canada’s Open Government Partnership have notably increased trust in government. South Korea’s Open Ministry platform has redefined participatory governance. DIKSHA, India’s online repository of e-books and notes for students’ reference, democratises quality education, transcending income and identity barriers. Japan’s early warning systems are predicting earthquakes and tsunamis, saving lives. As citizens become more informed and demanding, public service delivery must become more effective.
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Increasing efforts
What’s more, such changes are not just led by governments – they often happen despite it. Consider Kenya’s M-PESA, pioneered by a telecom company, which eventually became a beacon for financial inclusion and access. Khan Academy has provided educators with millions of short video lessons and practice exercises – for free. Zipline in Rwanda has solved an age-old challenge of providing medical necessities — medicines and lab samples — to people in remote geographies. US-based company See and Spray uses computer vision techniques to target weeds automatically.
China’s Tsinghua University has developed an AI-based system that analyses traffic data in real time to optimise traffic light control and reduce congestion. Germany’s Technical University of Munich (TUM) is developing smart energy grids to integrate renewable energy sources and optimise energy consumption patterns in urban areas. MIT’s research in telerobotic systems now allows surgeons to perform remote surgeries on patients in underserved areas. Unsurprisingly, universities are a breeding ground for groundbreaking technologies that are directly transforming public service delivery.
International organisations are not behind in driving technological innovation in government either. UNICEF’s RapidPro platform uses mobile messaging to enhance access to education, healthcare, and emergency services. World Bank is using drones to monitor the progress of the projects it funds — saving costs and simultaneously improving oversight. EURES, championed by the European Union, leverages technology to provide information and employment support services to workers and employers.
The gains from a relentless pursuit of technology’s ability to boost efficiencies and effectiveness have helped catapult several countries from good to great. India’s Aadhaar enrolled over a billion people in less than 10 years since being rolled out and has already paved the way for more than USD 450 billion of direct benefit transfers. In Estonia, as the use of e-government on the way to interact with public authorities went up from 20 per cent to 51 per cent in a decade, the ‘middleman’ disappeared, observably lowering corruption. 59% of Kenya’s GDP flows through its e-mobile payments system M-PESA, raising financial inclusion by 58% and pulling 194,000 households out of extreme poverty. The intangible benefits to society are also immense: Ukraine’s early investments in digital government helped it build citizen resilience during the war.
Some challenges
Though undoubtedly technology is increasing government efficiency and effectiveness, this race has not always served the best interests of society. Technology-led increases in efficiency and effectiveness have also given rise to a disturbing trend wherein criminal activities and warfare have grown increasingly sophisticated. Cyber-related crime is now the fastest-rising type of crime and is believed to be underreported. Gone are the days when peeping toms used binoculars; today, they have transitioned to the use of drones. Natwarlals have taken to the shadows of the digital realm, employing phishing, smishing, and vishing tactics to target unsuspecting victims. In response to this surge in technology-supported crime, governments have resorted to aggressive but dated approaches to enacting legislation and establishing dedicated law enforcement units.
Conversely, in warfare, governments have made conscious and substantial investments to bolster their technological capabilities. Cyberwarfare has emerged as a critical component of national defence strategies. Governments, from the US to Latvia, have alleged foreign interference in domestic elections. Integration of AI-piloted quadcopters in US operations is providing tactical teams situational awareness and saving lives. Like in other machine-heavy industries, predictive AI is being used to optimise the life and readiness of advanced weapon systems. AI is sifting through hours of videos and satellite images to support strategic decisions in war contexts. Slowly but steadily, AI is moving closer to comprehensively outperforming human war-strategists.
Technology is fundamentally reshaping governments, societies, and businesses, and maintaining the status quo is no longer an option. For governments, especially those navigating the complexities of development, the promise of technology is too significant to ignore. How effectively countries manage these disruptions with foresight and adaptability will determine their success in this new era. Any country faces a simple choice today: ride the technology tsunami to reap its benefits or risk the existential challenge technology poses.
The author heads the India practice for the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change. Views are personal.
This article is part of a series on AI tech policy and impact as part of ThePrint-Tony Blair Institute for Global Change editorial collaboration.
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)