Are your teams nervous about AI? They’re not the only ones. Copilot, and other AI agents, represent a major mindset shift, only worsened by fears of job insecurity.
But, in 2025, smart use of AI is an imperative for public sector organisations striving to enhance efficiency, service delivery, and resource allocation. Tools like Microsoft 365 Copilot (an AI-powered assistant integrated into the Microsoft 365 suite) have the power to transform the way you work – for the better! Streamline tasks, get intelligent suggestions, and solve complex problems with AI; be part of a leap forward in operational productivity.
The promise of Microsoft 365 Copilot – what does the Public Sector stand to gain?
With Copilot, you can optimise processes, foster collaboration, and support smarter decision-making, ultimately enabling public services to deliver better outcomes for citizens.
We understand that one of the Public Sectors biggest challenges is time constraint; that’s why we want to empower you to reduce digital debt, streamline admin routine, and gain that time back!
Right now, each public sector worker spends more than eight hours per week managing information and data. 45% of public sector workers state they feel overwhelmed by unnecessary administrative tasks, and an equal number report that this workload negatively affects their mental health and wellbeing2.
Copilot’s early adopters performed task 28% faster, 70% of workers felt more productive, 68% said their work was of higher quality, and 77% didn’t want to give Copilot up after trying it3.
With AI estimated to save each public sector worker over four hours per week on administrative tasks, the public sector could reclaim over 23 million working hours weekly across its total workforce2. This newfound productivity translates into more effective use of human resources, allowing employees to focus on high value tasks that require critical thinking, policy development and citizen engagement – the tasks where human intelligence shines.
Copilot doesn’t just save time, though. It enhances organisational intelligence with actionable, data-driven insights. Augmented by AI, public sector leaders can make more informed decisions, drive policy improvements, and refine service delivery strategies. Adopting Copilot at scale across all levels of your organisation will allow you to cultivate a smarter, more agile workforce to tackle complex challenges and adapt to the evolving demands of the public sector.
So, AI is transformative. But businesses already know that – so why is real adoption often so slow to materialise? Well, there are a number of roadblocks to face, from strategic alignment to technical integration. With the right approach, they can be just bumps in the road, not the end of the road, for the Public Sector’s AI journey.
So how do you roll out an AI Adoption roadmap that works? We’ve got a few critical tactics:
Transparent communication is essential to help build trust and dispel any concerns about the potential impact of AI on jobs and processes. Leadership needs to fully embrace AI and connect its adoption with the rest of the organisation.
Then, you’ll need buy-in from other key departments. Legal, security and finance teams often raise valid concerns regarding data protection, risk and ROI. At QA we offers specialised programmes, including EU AI Act training, to address these challenges. With awareness and strategy, you can turn key stakeholders from blockers into enablers.
What about technical challenges? Of course, integrating Microsoft Copilot with existing government IT infrastructure can prove difficult. IT teams play a critical role here, by ensuring that Copilot is deployed securely and functions smoothly across various platforms.
Involving stakeholders from across the business early in the process will help you identify key needs and use cases. To fully realise the benefits of Microsoft Copilot, public sector organisations must adopt a strategic approach to scaling its usage across the workforce.
Finally, your employees need to be on board. The problem is many potential Copilot users just don’t know what Copilot can do for them! This leaves workforces trapped; they know they need to ‘do AI’ to avoid falling behind but are not ready to implement it effectively due to a lack of understanding of its capabilities and what these will mean for the organisation.
The solution? Drive awareness of Copilot’s capability at a job- role level. Your people will feel more motivated and connected to new technology when they view it as being applicable to their day-to-day.
The adoption of AI is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’. Organisations that hesitate risk falling behind their competitors in an increasingly technology-driven business landscape.
At QA, we believe in combining human expertise with machine intelligence, and our comprehensive training helps you achieve just that. Investing in AI adoption and training today will equip public sector bodies for long-term success in a digital future.
QA is uniquely positioned to support public sector organisations at every stage of their AI journey. With our expertise and comprehensive range of solutions, we help organisations navigate the complexities of AI adoption with confidence.
Interested in learning more about how you can adopt Copilot at scale across your department? Find out more here.
References
1. Unlocking_the_UKs_AI_Potential.pdf
2. Tackling the public sector puzzle with AI - Microsoft Industry Blogs - United Kingdom
3. What Can Copilot’s Earliest Users Teach Us About AI at Work?