Public Sector AI Adoption Grows Amid Major Security and Infrastructure Gaps

Generative AI adoption is rapidly expanding in the public sector, with many organizations prioritizing infrastructure modernization to support AI-ready data security and privacy measures, though significant concerns about securing AI models remain. Globally, cybersecurity threats are escalating as hackers increasingly leverage AI to create more sophisticated attacks, while organizations struggle with API security and lack widespread adoption of AI-driven cybersecurity defenses despite plans to increase use soon. The UK government acknowledges ongoing challenges in AI adoption, including outdated technology, lack of transparency, and skill shortages, and has initiated a Public Sector AI Adoption program aimed at moving AI projects beyond pilot stages. In Thailand, AI adoption is still nascent, hindered by data quality and infrastructure issues, but the manufacturing sector is expected to see significant growth in AI use, driven by benefits like predictive maintenance and productivity gains. However, manufacturing industries worldwide remain vulnerable due to widespread governance failures in AI data security, with many organizations lacking essential controls to protect sensitive data from exposure in AI systems, underscoring an urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures. Overall, while AI implementation surges, there is a critical gap between AI adoption enthusiasm and the adequacy of security and infrastructure preparedness across sectors.