The adoption of generative AI within the public sector is increasing, but organizations face limitations in their IT infrastructure, security, and workforce capacity.
Research by Nutanix shows that 83 percent of public organizations worldwide have developed a strategy for generative AI. Of these, 45 percent are already actively applying GenAI, while another 29 percent are preparing for implementation. At the same time, 76 percent of IT decision-makers indicate that their current infrastructure is insufficiently prepared to optimally support cloud-native applications.
Security and Skills are the Biggest Hurdles
The application of GenAI in the public sector mainly focuses on citizen support, internal efficiency, and content creation. However, 92 percent of respondents point out that the security of GenAI models and applications is lacking. At the same time, 96 percent note that GenAI security and privacy have become a higher priority within their organization today.
The need for security goes hand in hand with other challenges. Many organizations experience a shortage of personnel with the right skills to support AI initiatives. Additionally, they see the importance of investments in training and infrastructure.
Infrastructure Modernization Necessary
According to the report, modernizing the IT environment is a prerequisite for deploying GenAI at scale. The technology imposes complex demands on data security, integrity, and resilience. Nearly three-quarters of public organizations believe their current infrastructure needs to be adapted to support cloud-native apps and container technology like Kubernetes.
At the same time, interest in application containerization is growing. 96 percent of surveyed organizations are already actively engaged in this. A large majority (91 percent) see clear benefits in using cloud-native applications and containers.
The study concludes that confidence in the benefits of GenAI is high. 94 percent of respondents indicate that their organization is already experimenting with GenAI applications and expects to see returns within the year. But without additional investments in infrastructure, security, and talent, many organizations remain vulnerable.