Austria launches GovGPT AI application in federal administration

Initially, GovGPT is to be implemented in the Federal Chancellery in the coming days. Afterwards, other parts of the administration are to follow gradually by the end of the year, as stated during the presentation. By then, around 250,000 public employees are to be supported in carrying out their tasks.

Specifically, state employees will be supported in drafting texts, summarizing documents, and creating knowledge collections. Pröll explained that the goal was to relieve the administration in light of new challenges and an upcoming wave of retirements.

Background: retirement wave and budget consolidation

The background to the project is an upcoming personnel wave: 44 percent of public employees will retire over the next thirteen years. As part of budget consolidation, only every second position is to be refilled, which further increases the pressure on the remaining employees.

The application is currently based on AI from the provider Mistral AI. However, the French company does not receive access to the administration's data, it was said. In addition, the system is built in such a way that the provider can be replaced in the future, which enables a switch of the technological basis without having to rebuild the entire infrastructure.

Further applications in the "Public AI" program

In addition to GovGPT, further applications are to be launched in the coming months as part of "Public AI". For example, the chatbot "ida" is to be introduced at the end of July in the ID Austria app and on oesterreich.gv.at, which is intended to assist citizens with digital dealings with authorities.

European aspiration

Toward the end of summer, "der stufenweise Roll-out von KI im elektronischen Akt" will also start in the Federal Chancellery. This is intended to support the processing of digital files in administration through AI in the future, with the gradual approach enabling accompanying evaluation.

Pröll emphasized the European aspiration of the project: the goal was to be a pioneer in Europe with GovGPT, the State Secretary said. Austria thereby positions administrative digitalization as a strategic field in which the country seeks a leading role while also focusing on digital sovereignty.