Description
AI is transforming public governance—from personalized services to predictive policymaking. But its impact depends on vision, skill, and institutional capacity.
What you’ll learn
By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Explain AI fundamentals in public-sector terms, including how AI supports day-to-day administrative tasks.
- Use AI to improve service delivery, from AI Agents and text-analysis tools to triage systems and multilingual communication.
- Apply AI for anticipatory governance, leveraging forecasting, risk analytics, and crisis dashboards.
- Implement responsible AI practices, aligned with UN, UNESCO, OECD, and UNDP guidelines.
- Develop a ministry-level AI roadmap, focusing on scaling, skills, governance, and ethical use.
Syllabus
Module 1: Working with AI in Government - Foundations, Tools, and Responsible Use
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding what AI is—and what it is not—using clear public-sector language.
- Building core prompting and evaluating skills for working with AI, with an emphasis on responsible use, critical interpretation of outputs, and data awareness.
- Exploring the everyday AI tools already embedded in government workflows, including translation, summarization, routing, and triage systems.
- Examining AI’s role within broader digital public infrastructure, including identity, registries, and data-exchange platforms.
- Strengthening institutional operations through automated oversight functions such as fraud detection, procurement verification, and administrative quality checks.
Module 2: AI in Service Delivery and Citizen Experience
Learning Objectives:
- Applying AI to modernize frontline public services through human-centered, multilingual, and accessible digital design.
- Using chatbots, virtual assistants, and automated triage systems to improve response times and reduce administrative burdens for citizens.
- Accelerating document processing and case management with AI-enabled classification and extraction tools.
- Integrating predictive tools that support proactive service delivery across social protection, health, education, employment, and justice sectors.
Module 3: AI for Foresight, Crisis Management, and Policy Planning
Learning Objectives:
- Introducing anticipatory governance and examining how governments use predictive analytics to inform forward-looking policy and operational decisions.
- Harnessing real-time data from IoT devices, satellites, and administrative systems to support preparedness, coordination, and crisis-response ecosystems.
- Applying AI-enabled early warning systems across climate, health, market stability, and humanitarian contexts to anticipate emerging risks.
- Using geospatial analytics and forecasting tools to monitor evolving risk conditions and support adaptive policy adjustment over time.
Module 4: Leading with AI – Scaling, Governance, and Institutional Readiness
Learning Objectives:
- Understanding AI Risks, Limitations, and Institutional Readiness
- Responsible AI in Government – Principles into Practice
- Strategic Planning and Roadmaps for Scaling AI in Government
- Connecting National AI Strategies with UN Frameworks
Content provider
Green Earth University
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions.
Curriculum
- 5 Sections
- 40 Lessons
- Lifetime
- Module 1: Working with AI in Government - Foundations, Tools, and Responsible UseLearning Objectives: Build foundations on AI concepts, public-sector use, and institutional operations, Understand AI as one component of a wider digital transformation agenda, Explore how digital public infrastructure enables responsible AI use, Examine how governments strengthen oversight, accountability, and quality assurance.10
- 1.1Key Terms
- 1.2Session 1.1: What Is Artificial Intelligence?
- 1.3Session 1.2: Why AI Has Become More Prominent in Government
- 1.4Quiz 1.1: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 1.5Session 1.3: AI’s Role Within Broader Digital Public Infrastructure
- 1.6Session 1.4: Policy and Governance Best Practices
- 1.7Session 1.5: OECD Recommendation of the Council on Artificial Intelligence
- 1.8Session 1.6: Report of the Secretary-General Roadmap for Digital Cooperation
- 1.9Session 1.7: OECD Government at a Glance 2023
- 1.10Quiz 1.2: Module 1 Assessment3 Questions
- Module 2: AI in Service Delivery and Citizen ExperienceLearning Objectives: Strengthening service delivery systems through integration and user-centered design, Improving citizen experience by simplifying processes and ensuring accessibility, Developing data governance practices that support consistent, trusted services, Enhancing workforce capacity so staff can navigate digital and hybrid service environments, Understanding AI’s role as a policy-level enabler within broader service reforms.9
- 2.1Key Terms
- 2.2Session 2.1: Service Transformation with AI for Government – Lecture
- 2.3Session 2.2: AI in Public Service Delivery
- 2.4Session 2.3: AI in Administrative Workflows and Case Management
- 2.5Session 2.4: AI Capabilities in Frontline Government Work
- 2.6Quiz 2.1: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 2.7Session 2.5: Leveraging Data and Digital Technologies and Building Effective Institutions for a Resilient Future in SIDS
- 2.8Session 2.6: Case Studies
- 2.9Quiz 2.2: Module 2 Assessment2 Questions
- Module 3: AI for Foresight, Crisis Management, and Policy PlanningLearning Objectives: Introduce anticipatory governance and how governments use predictive analytics for forward-looking policy, Understand how real-time data ecosystems support preparedness and crisis response, Apply AI-enabled early warning systems across climate, health, market stability, and humanitarian contexts to anticipate emerging risks. Use geospatial analytics and forecasting tools to monitor evolving risk conditions and support adaptive policy adjustment, Learn from UNOSAT and other operational examples of AI in anticipatory governance.12
- 3.1Key Terms
- 3.2Session 3.1: Anticipatory Governance and Predictive Analytics
- 3.3Session 3.2: Institutional Readiness for Predictive Analytics
- 3.4Session 3.3: A Practical Implementation Pathway
- 3.5Session 3.4: Ministry Level AI Roadmap
- 3.6Session 3.5: Real-Time Data Ecosystems: The Operational Backbone
- 3.7Session 3.6: AI-Enabled Early Warning Systems
- 3.8Session 3.7: Skills Public Officials Need for Anticipatory Governance
- 3.9Quiz 3.1: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 3.10Session 3.8: UN Data Strategy
- 3.11Session 3.9: UNDP Signals Spotlight
- 3.12Quiz 3.2: Module 3 Assessment2 Questions
- Module 4: Leading with AI – Scaling, Governance, and Institutional ReadinessLearning Objectives: Understanding AI Risks, Limitations, and Institutional Readiness, Responsible AI in Government – Principles into Practice, Strategic Planning and Roadmaps for Scaling AI in Government , Connecting National AI Strategies with UN Frameworks.19
- 4.1Key Terms
- 4.2Session 4.1: Why AI Matters for Government — At Scale
- 4.3Quiz 4.1: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 4.4Session 4.2: Responsible AI Principles – Lecture
- 4.5Session 4.3: Principles into Practice
- 4.6Quiz 4.2: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 4.7Session 4.4: Key Risks in Government AI – Lecture
- 4.8Session 4.5: Understanding AI Risk in Government Contexts
- 4.9Quiz 4.3: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 4.10Session 4.6: The Implementation Roadmap — From Pilot to Policy
- 4.11Quiz 4.4: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 4.12Session 4.7: Global Comparators – What Other Leading Governments Have Done
- 4.13Session 4.8: Connecting National AI Strategies with UN Frameworks – Lecture
- 4.14Session 4.9: Connecting National AI Strategies with UN Frameworks
- 4.15Quiz 4.5: Knowledge Check1 Question
- 4.16Session 4.10: What Government Officials Must Do — A Practical Guide
- 4.17Session 4.11: Concluding and Reflecting Thoughts
- 4.18Session 4.12: Supporting Tools
- 4.19Quiz 4.6: Module 4 Assessment3 Questions
- Module 5: Course ReviewThis course explored how governments can strategically leverage artificial intelligence to enhance public administration, policy planning, and service delivery. Across four modules, participants examined tools, frameworks, and case studies demonstrating how AI can create integrated data ecosystems that support anticipatory governance, improve accessibility, and strengthen institutional trust. The central lesson: AI in government is both a technological and strategic transformation. Its success relies on combining data-driven insights with ethical governance and human-centered design. Governments that ground AI adoption in transparency, inclusion, and long-term planning are better positioned to deliver smarter, more responsive, and equitable public services.3
UNITAR
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is a principal training arm of the United Nations, working in every region of the world. We empower individuals, governments and organizations through knowledge and learning to effectively overcome contemporary global challenges. Our training targets two key groups of beneficiaries: the delegates to the United Nations and others who develop intergovernmental agreements establishing global norms, policies, and programmes, and the key national change agents who turn the global agreements into action at the national level.
UNITAR under its 5 pillars offers various training and capacity-development activities in the thematic areas of capacity for the 2030 Agenda, strengthen multilateralism, promote economic development and social inclusion, advance environmental sustainability and green development, promote sustainable peace, and research and technology applications.
Ms. Julia Rodríguez Acosta
Minister Counsellor at Permanent Mission of El Salvador to the UN
Julia Rodríguez Acosta is a diplomat specializing in disarmament and international security, with a dedicated focus on information and communication technologies, cybersecurity and emerging technologies. She is actively engaged in multilateral processes that are deepening understanding of both existing and emerging information security threats and that are advancing confidence-building measures, cyber capacity building, digital cooperation and dialogue on responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.
Mr. Doug Priest, PhD
Public Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Lead, Microsoft Worldwide Government
Doug Priest is Transportation & Urban Infrastructure Lead with Microsoft Worldwide Public Sector He works with cites globally to identify and develop solutions to pressing problems in transportation and cities. Doug has worked in digital transformation and leadership positions over the last fourteen years, including in the Governor’s Office in New York State, where he was a fellow and advisor to the Deputy Secretary for Technology & Innovation. He has also worked in the private, non-for-profit and higher education sectors, including at Microsoft where has been for the past four years. a lasting impact on our understanding of Earth’s intricate systems and pave the way for a more sustainable future.
Dr. Christian Schlaepfer
Former Diplomat and Negotiator on Artificial Intelligence at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nation
Christian Schlaepfer is a diplomat and global public policy expert specialized on technology, sustainability and health. Most recently, he was delegate at the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the UN in New York, where he led on technology, AI, science diplomacy and health. In prior postings, he coordinated the Swiss peace programme on transitional justice and atrocity prevention, served at the Swiss Embassy in Germany and as political advisor to the OSCE Special Representative in Ukraine. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge.