Abstract

The information technology boom occurred around the turn of millennium has left all of us in awe. The accelerated technological progress characterized by innovations and its rapid application has caused an abrupt change in the society. In this context, artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative technology tool that enables the machine to mimic human intelligence including problem solving, learning and decision making. In the era where artificial intelligence is transforming the industries worldwide, public service sector remains no exception. Nepal is in its nascent stage of integrating artificial intelligence to public service. With its potential to simplify processes, enhance decision making and improve citizen services, Al has the opportunities to transform the way in which government and public services operates. However, the integration of Al in public service delivery also presents a challenge that must be carefully considered and addressed to harness the potential of Al in public service of Nepal.

1. Background Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that aims to create intelligent agents, systems that can reason, learn and act autonomously. It is the simulation of human intelligence in machines designed to think, reason and learn. These systems are programmed to perform tasks that typically require human cognition such as problem solving, decision making, language understanding and pattern recognition, etc. Al is multidisciplinary field, drawing on computer science, mathematics, psychology, neuroscience, and more with the goal of creating systems that can perform intelligent functions autonomously. Since its inception in the mid-20th century, Al has grown exponentially, evolving from the theoretical concepts to practical applications that impact nearly every aspect of life. Public services are the essential services provided by governments or public institutions to meet the fundamental needs of the society. The success and failure of any government institutions depends on the efficiency of the public services provided by the country. Public services, the provisions of essential services by governments to their citizens, have evolved significantly over centuries. These services ranging from healthcare and education to transportation and security play critical role in promoting social equity, economic stability and quality of life. Their primary goal is to serve the public interest, ensuring that the resources and opportunities are accessible to all citizens, regardless of socioeconomic status. In the modern era, the scope of public services has expanded significantly. Governments and public institutions are now responsible for addressing a wide array of challenges, including urbanization, environmental sustainability, global pandemics, and technological disruption. These demands have placed unprecedented pressure on public service systems to deliver timely, efficient and inclusive solutions. Despite the progress made, public services continue to face numerous challenges like inefficiency, lack of transparency, inequitable access, rising costs, changing citizens expectations, resources constraints, technological lag, etc. These challenges highlight the urgent need for innovation to transform public service delivery, ensuring it remains relevant, equitable and capable of addressing modern societal demands. Recently, Al is transforming public services worldwide, helping governments address complex challenges, enhance efficiency and improve citizen experiences. Different countries in the world are adopting Al in innovation ways in different public service sectors, setting examples for leveraging technology to create smarter and more responsive government systems. 2. Application of Al in Public Service in the Global context Governments worldwide are adopting (AI) to enhance public service delivery. Below are some notable global practices showcasing the transformative potential of Al across different domains such as-

2.1 Enhanced citizen Services

(I) Chatbots and Virtual Assistants: Governments are deploying Al-powered chatbots and virtual assistants to provide24/7 citizen support where these tools can answer frequently asked questions, provide information and even assist with simple tasks like form filling.

(II) Personalized Services: Al algorithms can analyze citizen data to tailor services to individual needs. These could include personalized recommendation for healthcare, education or social services.

(III) Predictive analysis: AI can predict future trends and patterns, allowing government to proactively address potential issues. For example, predicting natural disasters or traffic congestion can help authorities to allocate resources effectively.

(IV) Automated document Processing: Al reduces delays in public service delivery by processing applications and verifying documents efficiently.

(V) Transparency and accountability: AI systems monitor government activities reducing corruption and increasing trust.

(VI) Policy analysis: Al uses citizen feedback and social media analytics to guide policymaking.

(VII) Automation: Al reduces administrative burdens by automating audits and documents processing.

2.2 Improved Governance Efficiency

(I) Automation of routine tasks: Al can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up government employees to focus on more complex and strategic work. This can include processing paperwork, analyzing data, and generating reports.

(II) Data-Driven decision making: Al can analyze vast amounts of data to identify patterns and trends. This information can be used to inform policy decisions and resource allocation.

(III) Fraud Detection: AI algorithms can detect anomalies and patterns of fraudulent behavior, helping to protect government resources.

2.3 Enhanced Public Safety

(I) Predictive policy: Al can analyze crime data to predict where and when crimes are likely to occur, allowing police to allocate resources more effectively.

(II) Facial Recognition: Al-powered facial recognition can be used to identify suspects, missing persons, and monitor public spaces.

(III) Real time monitoring to detect potential threats

2.4 Global Example: Some global examples related to Al usage have been cited as followings:

(1) Singapore has been a pioneer in using Al for public services. The government has implemented Al powered systems for traffic management, healtcare and social services. Singapore's 'Smart Nation' initiative leverages Al to make the city state more efficient and livable.

(2) Estonia has used AI to create a digital society where citizen can access government services online. AI-judges, virtual assistants like "Kratt Al" are widely used which has made AI-Driven e-governance successful

(3) The US government has used Al to improve the efficiency of various agencies like Department of Defense and Department of Veteran Affairs.

(4) Al tools in healthcare like Ping An Good Doctor provide online consultation and medial advices. Similarly, cities like Hangzhou use Al for real time traffic management

(5) UAE was the first country to appoint a dedicated minister of AI and virtual assistants like 'Rashid' are guiding citizens through government servi services.

(6) Norway has been successfully employing Al in environmental conservation where AI models predict the effects of climate change on Norway's Ecosystem.

3. Opportunities for Nepal

Being a developing country, Nepal has always struggled to provide effective and fair public services owing to its diverse predict the most promising candidate by analyzing the future trends.

(II) It can enhance the performance management of human resource by real time performance tracking, predictive analysis for future performance, continuous feedback mechanism, personalized feedback mechanisms, etc.

(III) It helps in employee engagement and retention, AI driven training programs and skill gap analysis for employees, workforce planning and optimization, employee onboarding, etc.

3.3 AI in Public Service Delivery

(I) It can be used in personalized service delivery as Al can analyze data on the need and preference of citizens. eg, it can suggest relevant healthcare and education programs based on individual's profile.

(II ) It also helps in predicting the rising demands for various public services such as healthcare, education, finance, infrastructure, etc.

(III) It increases the efficiency of public service delivery through increased accessibility, personalization and reducing costs and errors

3.4 AI in Maintaining Transparency

(I) It can be used in promoting transparency in public services through enhanced public access to information where AI chatbots can provide citizen with real time access to information.

(II) It significantly helps in monitoring public spending, maintaining transparent procurement and contracting, automated audits and performance metrics, etc.

 

कात्तिक/मंसिर, २०८१/८२