AI is already producing efficiency gains in public administrations, according to a report

Within the civil service, the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is already enabling efficiency gains, but administrations are struggling to generalize its use, according to a report published a few days ago by the General Inspectorate of Finance.

As examples, the State Procurement Department anticipates more than 60% time savings for public buyers in the search and integration of suppliers, while the legal affairs department of the economic and financial ministries has halved the time spent on documentary research, details the 700-page report.

AI can also help "certain sectors of the administration where it is difficult to respond in a timely manner to all requests from citizens," Pierre Cunéo, Inspector General of Finance and co-author of the report, explained to AFP.

Thus, the use of an AI tool by civil servants for the "Public Service +" platform has reduced response times from 19 to 3 days on average, while conversational chatbots in municipal services have significantly reduced lost calls, the study highlights.

Public administrations, however, like private companies, face the challenge of making its use widespread.

This is linked in particular to the fact that up to 40% of civil servants use AI spontaneously and without supervision, the report points out.

To end this clandestine use, the report recommends making secure, general-purpose AI tools available to all public employees.

Minister of Public Action and Accounts David Amiel already announced in mid-June that approximately one million state civil servants (out of a total of 2,6 million) would now benefit from an AI tool called "the Assistant", powered by models from the French artificial intelligence start-up Mistral.

The General Inspectorate of Finance (IGF) also notes strong disparities between ministries (from 0 to 74 projects carried out depending on the ministry considered) and within local authorities, with 90% of metropolitan areas being involved in AI projects compared to 27% of small municipalities.

Finally, wider adoption of AI is hampered by financial constraints.

"Financing is characterized by its low level compared to large companies and by its fragmentation due to insufficiently structured management and governance," the report points out.

Between 2023 and 2025, the interministerial digital directorate committed 8,7 million euros to AI, the ministries 26,2 million euros and France Travail 18,7 million euros, reports the IGF.

Image illustrating the article via Depositphotos.com.