GCP – 5 AI trends shaping the future of the public sector in 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept. In 2025, it’s poised to become a cornerstone of public sector operations, transforming how agencies make decisions and serve constituents. By leading with AI-powered innovation, government agencies can improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and provide better services to citizens.

According to a recent Google commissioned IDC study that surveyed 161 federal Chief AI Officers and other AI decision makers, 50% of agencies reported high levels of AI maturity, which corresponds to mature behaviors like embracing an innovation culture and piloting generative AI use cases to drive mission impact.

Let’s dive into five AI trends we believe will shape the future of the public sector in the year ahead.

Trend #1: Multimodal AI: Unleashing the power of context

Imagine a world where AI can understand and analyze information from various sources like text, images, video and even audio. This is the power of multimodal AI. This year will be pivotal for AI adoption, driven largely by multimodal learning and the contextual awareness it enables. Looking ahead, multimodal AI will enable agencies to analyze local and state-level data and combine it with data from other sources like Google Earth Engine, Google Maps, Waze, and public data sets to improve decision-making, pre-empt climate-related risks and improve public infrastructure.

Google AI empowers Hawaii Department of Transportation (HDOT) to address climate challenges. By leveraging Google Earth Engine and Google Cloud to deploy a Climate Resilience Platform, they are able to assess risk and prioritize investment decisions based on multiple climate risks, asset conditions, and community impact.

Trend #2: AI agents: The evolution from chatbots to multi-agent systems

We’ve gone from simple chatbots of the past, to sophisticated AI agents of the future, capable of handling the most complex tasks. These agents can reason, plan, and even learn from their interactions. In the future, AI agents will help government employees work and code more efficiently, manage their applications, gain deeper data insights, identify and resolve security threats, and bring their best ideas to life.

Sullivan County, NY is using virtual agents that use Google AI to serve more citizens faster, at any hour of the day. With limited staff and budget, Sullivan County created a solution that supports citizens beyond traditional work hours while freeing up government workers to focus on strategic work.

Trend #3: Assistive search: The next frontier for knowledge work

AI is already transforming the way we access and understand information. With generative AI, governments can improve the accuracy and efficiency of searching vast datasets. By investing in semantic search, automated metadata tools, and advanced document transcription, agencies can unlock the value of their data and make it more accessible.

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is leveraging Google Cloud’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) capabilities to tackle complex challenges across various domains, from materials science and bioinformatics to human performance optimization. AFRL is embracing the power of AI and cloud computing to accelerate its mission of developing and transitioning advanced technologies to the air, space, and cyberspace forces.

Trend #4: AI-powered constituent experience: seamless and personalized

In 2025, AI will help improve citizen experiences. AI-powered tools and technologies can build trust and foster closer citizen-government relationships by enabling citizens to quickly and easily navigate government websites and services—such as applying for permits and licenses—offered in multiple languages and available 24/7.

Working with Google AI, Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) was able to scale the state’s response to unemployment insurance claims and speed up overall response time. They were also successful in screening out fraudulent claims so that the UI program could be administered–with integrity–to Wisconsinites who needed financial assistance.

Trend #5: Security gets tighter— and tougher— with AI

As AI becomes more prevalent, so do the threats it poses. However, AI can also be a powerful tool for enhancing security. By automating threat detection, analyzing vast amounts of data, and responding to incidents quickly, AI can help protect government systems and sensitive information. As AI increasingly permeates government and citizen services, agencies must prioritize security to combat threats like deepfakes and disinformation.

New York City is hit by 90 billion cyber events every single week. “We have to distill those 90 billion events down to less than 50 or 60 things we look at. We couldn’t do that without a lot of artificial intelligence and automated decision-making tools.” – Matthew Fraser, Chief Technology Officer, New York City.

The opportunity ahead

We are already seeing incredible energy around AI in public sector agencies across the country who are using it to improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and better serve their constituents. Going forward, we expect agencies to appoint and invest in AI leaders who bolster AI governance, build public trust, and invest in an effective workforce strategy with AI and security at the forefront. This will be crucial to ensure the responsible and secure development and deployment of AI across all levels of government.

Download the AI Trends 2025 in Public Sector report to learn more about how AI can help support your mission and accelerate your impact.