The AI-amplified future of work in public sector funding
AI can streamline grant processes, detect fraud, and help government leaders identify resources with greater precision and impact
One of the government’s fundamental responsibilities is funding initiatives and programs designed to help advance public missions. Whether through grants, loans, and other financial mechanisms, these resources can help advance goals like economic growth, social development, disaster relief, innovation, research, and infrastructure development. Effective grant management helps ensure that funds are allocated efficiently, fraud is minimized, and societal benefit is maximized.
While certain grants management processes are largely human-centric, artificial intelligence and generative AI offer several benefits for those working in grants and financial management. From streamlining paperwork and spotting fraud to automating reporting and improving the applicant experience, AI can complement human capabilities to help direct funding toward appropriate missions with precision and efficiency.
How can AI change the government grants manager role?
Let’s take a closer look at how AI technologies can change the role of a grants manager and what it might mean for the individual doing the job. Click through the slides below or download the complete PDF.
What’s next?
With AI-driven transformations, new roles are expected to emerge that help bridge innovation and government funding. One such potential role is the innovation scout—a specialist who would be focused on identifying and integrating cutting-edge technology into government missions. What might this brand-new job look like?
The innovation scout: A possible future role in public funding
- Mission: Government innovation scouts could work to help bridge the gap between cutting-edge commercial innovations and government mission delivery, so that agencies can effectively respond to emerging challenges.
- Key responsibilities:
- Focusing on building strategic foresight, horizon scanning, and technology scouting capabilities.
- Identifying relevant and ready technologies and innovations and responding to opportunities to apply them to government domains.
- Tracking market insights and metrics and devise investment strategies to “spin in” new capabilities.
- Creating dedicated mechanisms to scan, adapt, and scale investments.
- Fostering a culture of continuous innovation and ensuring government agencies are at the forefront of technological advancements.
On-the-job impact
Alana, an innovation scout at the Department of Energy, scans through her AI-generated weekly innovation-sensing report. It highlights some areas she’s been developing use cases for—ultra-efficient solar panels and AI-driven energy management systems—as well as some startups specializing in these technologies. After reviewing profiles of the highlighted startups and doing more research, Alana identifies some promising opportunities and begins the outreach process to request demos of their products.
She’s excited to engage with the commercial sector to potentially “spin in” new capabilities and drive transformative change in government.
Let’s make this work.
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