Public-sector employees are now using AI at rates that rival the private sector, with Gallup reporting that 43% of government workers engaged with AI tools in late 2025 — a dramatic rise from just 17% in mid-2023.
This surge highlights a rapid closing of the technology gap between government and business, despite longstanding challenges in recruiting technical talent and navigating stricter governance frameworks.
The study shows that while private-sector employees still lead in frequent AI use (25% vs. 21%), public-sector workers surpass them in occasional use (22% vs. 16%). This balance puts government slightly ahead in overall adoption. Analysts attribute the growth to the accessibility of generative AI tools, which require little specialized training, allowing employees to experiment independently.
Crucially, the report emphasizes that managerial support is the decisive factor in whether AI experimentation becomes routine. In public-sector organizations with strong leadership backing, 65% of employees use AI frequently, compared with only 37% in low-support environments. The findings suggest that leadership strategies — not just technology access — will determine whether AI adoption translates into lasting productivity gains.
Challenges Remain
Despite the rapid rise in AI adoption across the public sector, Gallup’s study points out several persistent challenges. Government agencies continue to face difficulties in attracting and retaining technical talent, which limits their ability to fully integrate advanced AI systems. Strict governance and compliance frameworks also slow down experimentation compared to the private sector. Moreover, without strong managerial support, many employees remain hesitant to move beyond casual use of AI tools, leaving productivity gains unevenly distributed. These hurdles suggest that while adoption is accelerating, the path to sustainable and transformative AI use in government still requires deliberate investment in leadership, training, and policy innovation.
Click here to read the report.