NEW YORK, November 19, 2025 – State and local governments drowning in paperwork and service delays could cut through years-long backlogs using artificial intelligence, a new Accenture study concludes, provided agencies redesign services around both residents and frontline workers instead of just layering on technology.
The report, titled “Experience New Lens,” surveyed 300 public-sector employees and 1,000 U.S. residents in 2025. It found that government workers spend nearly half their time answering repetitive questions and entering data—tasks AI could handle instantly.
Sixty-two percent of employees said AI would free them for higher-value work, while residents reported frustration with confusing websites and long wait times.
“Modernization is not just about adding tools or processes,” the report states. “It’s about ensuring that residents, and the people who serve them, have great experiences.” Accenture points to successful pilots in California and Texas, where AI has slashed permit-processing times from weeks to days.
Despite the promise, confidence remains low. Only one in five public workers feels “very confident” in AI accuracy, and residents rank data security, transparency, and reliability as their top concerns.
The study warns that without extensive staff training and clearer digital interfaces, new tools could worsen distrust rather than relieve pressure.
Accenture recommends a “no wrong door” approach—multiple easy access points paired with intelligent routing—so residents aren’t overwhelmed, while employees receive ongoing upskilling. At least 30 states have already issued AI policies or guidance, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures tracker .
With budgets tight and public expectations rising, the report argues incremental fixes are no longer enough. Successful adoption, it says, hinges on treating technology as a means to better human experiences rather than an end in itself.
If agencies follow that path, AI could transform backlogs into breakthroughs; if not, it risks becoming another expensive layer of bureaucracy.
