Governments cannot ignore the agentic AI shift

What happens when AI agents start making decisions, managing workflows and interacting with public services, and are governments ready for the shift?

In this episode of the Digital Government Podcast, Federico Plantera brings together Luukas Ilves, co-founder of The Agentic State initiative and former Chief Information Officer of the Estonian government, and Piret Hirv, Head of the Data Management and AI Competence Centre at eGA, to discuss how agentic AI could transform public administration.

They explore the shift from process-based automation to outcome-driven government, the growing pressure from AI agents interacting with public services, and the challenges of accountability across institutions. The conversation also examines why digital identity, data governance and cybersecurity are essential for managing AI agents, and why governments must invest in the less visible foundations of digital transformation before they can realise its benefits.

Tune in to discover why governments can no longer afford to ignore agentic AI, and what it takes to prepare public administration for a future where machines do more than follow instructions.

This podcast was produced as part of the project “AI-ready Municipalities”, with financial assistance from the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument. The information and views set out herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union or its institutions.