Global AI Watch: Listening to Public Servants - What Dubai and New Jersey Teach Us About AI Readiness

To effectively evaluate AI in government, we need to distinguish between beneficial applications that genuinely improve public services and problematic deployments designed primarily to eliminate jobs or cut costs without consideration for impacts. Making these judgments requires listening carefully to public professionals at the front lines. Two recent efforts—from New Jersey and Dubai—reveal starkly different approaches to gathering this crucial feedback, with telling results.

New Jersey's streamlined approach, which leveraged AI in delivery and analysis, yielded more than 5,000 responses in just three weeks. 

Two Approaches, Two Outcomes

In May 2024, New Jersey set out to hear from its public sector employees about working with generative AI. Using AI itself to design clearer, more accessible questions. Full NJ report here.

Meanwhile, Dubai—widely recognized as a global leader in public sector innovation—conducted a year-long survey, covering 34 government entities with over 60 detailed questions on everything from ethics to training needs. Only about 4% of their government workforce responded, with fewer than 3% completing the full survey. Full report here.

New Jersey's streamlined approach, which leveraged AI in delivery and analysis, yielded more than 5,000 responses in just three weeks. 

What Both Surveys Reveal

Looking beyond form to substance, both surveys show remarkably similar findings:

• Limited familiarity: In New Jersey, 88% of respondents knew "nothing at all" or only "a little" about AI; Dubai showed similar early-stage adoption with about 36% being non-users or beginners

• Strong interest in learning: 73% of New Jersey public workers wanted to learn more; in Dubai, 87% of non-users expressed interest in training

• Optimism alongside concerns: 67% of New Jersey respondents believed AI would have more positive than negative impacts; in Dubai, a striking 94% expressed optimism about AI's potential impact on government operations

• Similar concerns: Both groups worried about privacy, security, and potential job displacement

Why the Response Gap?

Dubai's comprehensive 60-question survey, while thorough, created significant participation barriers. Without modern engagement techniques or shorter touchpoints, busy public servants likely faced overwhelming survey fatigue. Cultural factors may have played a role as well. In hierarchical organizations, without clear immediate value or a sense of shared ownership, even important topics can seem optional or irrelevant.

Building a More Responsive Listening Infrastructure

In an era where AI is reshaping every aspect of work, governments must rethink how they engage their own employees. The Dubai report's finding that senior managers had the highest AI adoption (64% used AI tools weekly) suggests a disconnect between leadership enthusiasm and frontline readiness.

Effective listening in the AI age should be:

• Shorter: Micro-surveys with few questions, easy to complete in minutes

• Faster: Distributed through digital tools already embedded in daily workflows

• Continuous: Moving from annual exercises to ongoing conversations

• AI-enabled: Using AI to design better questions, analyze sentiment, and identify patterns

Measuring Real Success

Both surveys offer critical insights for measuring AI implementation success. Dubai's findings highlighted the importance of looking beyond efficiency:

• Increases in quality: Are outputs more accurate and reliable?

• Enhanced transparency: Is the AI system making government more accessible?

• Improved responsiveness: Does AI help address emerging issues more quickly?

• Meaningful human augmentation: Is AI supporting rather than replacing critical judgment?

The Governance Challenge

The Dubai report reveals a crucial insight for governments everywhere: 59% of AI users were unaware of any AI ethics guidelines. Meanwhile, 83% believed ethical guidelines would positively impact their work. This disconnect between policy and awareness suggests that even the most ambitious governance frameworks fail without effective communication and training strategies.

Moving Forward: Cooperation Over Competition

Perhaps the most valuable insight from Dubai's engagement was the recognition that AI implementation requires "cooperation and not competition." The resource-intensive nature of AI makes sharing experiences, use cases, and best practices essential across government.

As governments worldwide navigate AI implementation, they would do well to follow this collaborative mindset—not just within their organizations, but across borders, sharing insights on what works, what doesn't, and what safeguards are essential.

The future of government innovation depends not just on asking the right questions, but on listening in the right ways to those who will use these tools every day.