Have public sector organizations reached the point where AI is no longer an experiment but an operational necessity?

In this episode, I welcome Carmen Taglienti, CTO of Insight Public Sector, to discuss why AI is moving beyond chatbots and pilots to become part of the everyday workflows that support government services. As budgets tighten and expectations continue to rise, public sector teams are under pressure to deliver more for citizens without increasing resources. Carmen explains why this moment represents a turning point and how AI is helping agencies rethink the way they operate.

We talk about the rise of agentic AI and why the next generation of AI is focused on completing real work rather than simply answering questions. Carmen shares how governments are beginning to automate permitting, citizen inquiries, service requests, and internal processes while keeping people involved where oversight and accountability remain essential.

Our conversation also looks at why trust remains one of the biggest barriers to AI adoption. Whether it is employees using AI in the workplace or citizens interacting with AI-powered public services, confidence must be earned through transparency, governance, and consistent outcomes. Carmen explains why operational security, AI governance, and established frameworks are becoming as important as the technology itself.

Drawing on her experience teaching AI and cybersecurity at Northeastern University and leading AI strategy programs at Wake Forest University, Carmen also shares how higher education is preparing students for a workplace where AI will become part of almost every role. Rather than avoiding these tools, she argues that the next generation needs practical experience using them responsibly to solve real business problems.

We also discuss why smaller, specialized AI deployments may prove more effective than large agency-wide platforms, how procurement teams are adapting to a rapidly changing AI market, and what successful AI adoption actually looks like inside public sector organizations.

If you've been wondering what AI adoption really looks like beyond the headlines, this conversation offers practical insight into how governments are balancing innovation, compliance, security, and citizen trust while building services for the future.

How do you see AI changing the relationship between governments and the citizens they serve over the next few years? I'd love to hear your thoughts.