Can Governments Keep Pace with the Rapid Rise of AI?

Why It Matters

Maintaining human override and transparency affects regulatory frameworks, public trust, and business risk management as AI is integrated into critical services. Without these safeguards, firms and governments risk deploying opaque, error-prone systems that could amplify harm and regulatory backlash.

Summary

A policymaker argues governments and organizations must preserve human oversight as AI scales, adopting an "AI-first" approach without becoming "AI-only". She warns against automated systems that deny human recourse and calls for explainability and human judgment to correct errors. Practically, she recommends cross-checking outputs from multiple AI systems and using AI-generated critiques to inform more discerning decisions. These steps are presented as pragmatic ways to combine AI efficiency with human accountability.

Original Description

“We can be AI driven, but we cannot be AI determined only.” Can governments keep pace with the rapid rise of AI?

In the latest episode of Policy Unpacked, MPP Aliénor Rougeot speaks with Dr Aaron Maniam about the opportunities, risks and realities shaping AI in government.

Full episode available here - https://youtu.be/YgvItloiKxY

Blavatnik School of Government,

University of Oxford

http://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/