AI-Powered Interoperability: Lessons Learned from the European Public Sector Awards

Briefing
December 2024

In the context of the current EU priorities on digital transformation, Member States are increasingly advancing key aspects of this transformation, often guided by policy initiatives developed at the EU level. In doing so, the EU facilitates digital innovation across governance levels to enhance, modernise, and create resilience within its public sector. Two central aspects of this process are interoperability and artificial intelligence (AI).

By pursuing interoperability through AI applications, public administrations can unlock the full potential of digital public services, going beyond mere technological integration to create a collaborative, interconnected environment for service delivery.

This briefing analyses relevant project submissions to EPSA 2023–24 to explore how AI can enable interoperability among EU public administrations. Drawing on selected projects, the briefing aims to share good practices and offer guidance for policymakers and innovators.

EPSA projects highlight the significant efforts public administrations are making in adopting digital transformation and leveraging AI to enhance governance and public service delivery (54 projects in EPSA 2023–24 directly relate to digital transformation; 67% of which occur at the national level, underscoring the role of centralised frameworks at the Member State level in advancing digital solutions).

Almost 70% of projects relied on AI, demonstrating that public administrations are committed to harnessing the power of AI for improved public services and functionality. The high level of AI adoption in the EPSA projects analysed demonstrates AI’s capabilities to enhance processes and solve challenges across all different layers of interoperability.

Although only a small fraction of projects mention ‘interoperability’, more than 60% of submitted projects reference interoperability-related terms, suggesting a discrepancy in the reporting of interoperability in project descriptions. In turn, less than 14% of cases address both AI and interoperability-related aspects, indicating significant room for the adoption of AI-supported interoperable projects.

To fully utilise the opportunities for innovation at the intersection of AI and interoperability, public administrations need to raise awareness about the different layers of interoperability and build capacities to enable innovators to support interoperability through AI applications.

Policymakers need to create the conditions under which administrations can engage with the challenges and opportunities of AI-driven interoperability, for instance, through fit-for-purpose policy frameworks or cross-border and multilevel collaboration across Europe.

To design and implement projects successfully, innovators require a clear framing of interoperability as a core project objective to fully utilise such opportunities.

 

Learn more about all EPSA 2023-24 projects here.

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