Public Sector Tech Watch : mapping innovation in the EU public services : a collective effort in exploring the applications of artificial intelligence and blockchain in the public sector

This report presents the Public Sector Tech Watch (PSTW), the observatory dedicated to monitor, analyse, and disseminate the use of emerging technologies within the public sector in Europe. The observatory has been launched by the European Commission, and more specifically by the Directorate-General for Informatics (DG DIGIT) and the Joint Research Centre (JRC). In a context where the use of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Blockchain is growing, the launch of PSTW is an important milestone to accelerate the adoption of such technologies in the public sector in Europe. In this regard, PSTW aims at providing a knowledge hub and a virtual space to access and share knowledge and experiences, fostering a community that facilitates the implementation of innovative public services in Europe. To do that, it provides empirical evidence to help better understanding the various challenges and the appropriateness of emerging technologies in solving real problems and improving functions of public administration. Moreover, PSTW is a place where people can meet, share experiences and practices, raising awareness and fostering a mutual learning process at European level. PSTW is addressed to all the stakeholders with an interest in the topic, including public administrations, private sector, academia, and civil society. The current report presents the main functionalities of the observatory as well as an overview of the data collected on more than one thousand use cases of AI and Blockchain in the public sector.