In the current context of multiple crises, governments must increasingly respond to emerging threats while grappling with more longstanding issues such as climate change or digital disruption. Driven in part by this environment, governments are striving more than ever to innovate to adapt their societies and economies, and to transform themselves and how they design and deliver policies and services. Indeed, recent crises have helped catalyse innovation in the public sector, and innovation has emerged as a much-needed driver of resilience that can generate public value in difficult times.

Governments worldwide have faced severe challenges in the last few years. The world had little time to recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine dealt the global economy a series of shocks. The culminative effect of these events has been the destruction of lives and livelihoods, and growing humanitarian, economic and governance crises. Millions of people have been displaced, energy and food markets have been severely disrupted, inflation continues to surge, and economic growth is slowing). Governments must cope with and respond to these emerging threats while already grappling with issues such as climate change, digital disruption The challenges they face in ensuring positive outcomes for their people seem to be increasing.

This chapter introduces the trend on the increasing adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the design and delivery of policies and services. It highlights the need and drive towards ensuring that the algorithms and underlying data avoid bias and discrimination, and that public servants understand data ethics. Finally, it provides practical examples and global case studies to help governments and their partners understand, test and embed new approaches to AI accountability in an effort to enhance transparency and reinforce trust with citizens.

This chapter introduces the trend on the increasing adoption of new approaches to care. It highlights the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic placed care services under the spotlight with the rapid scaling of technological innovation, especially for healthcare at a distance. The chapter further presents global case studies and examples on innovative approaches taken in the face of increasing demands for mental health solutions, aging populations and growth in chronic diseases, including through the use Artificial Intelligence and behavioural insights.

This chapter introduces the trend on new methods for preserving identities and strengthening equity. It highlights the pressures of globalization on increasing inequalities, particularly of Indigenous communities and the ways in which governments are developing inclusive, data-driven efforts to counter challenges and ensure rights, interests, identities and values are respected. Finally, the chapter provides practical examples and global case studies to help governments and their partners identify and develop innovative strategies to address the rising cost-of-living, unemployment, lack of adequate housing and homelessness, crime, rising poverty, gender discrimination, inequalities in the gig economy and ensure respect of workers’ rights.

This chapter introduces the trend on new ways of engaging citizens and residents. It highlights the drive for increased engagement with citizens and residence as a way to enhance representation, participation and openness. The chapter future provides practical examples and global case studies to demonstrate the ways in which governments are using sophisticated techniques to connect and collaborate with the public and enhance public decision-making power. Initiatives include permanent citizens’ councils, AI localism approaches, reimagining communities and physical and virtual community spaces, and leveraging technology to build public trust.