GenAI reshapes but does not replace government white-collar roles

Study shows AI augments analysis and strategy jobs whilst automating clerical tasks.

Generative AI is altering, but not eliminating, white-collar work in government, according to a new report by the IBM Center for The Business of Government.

The study finds that professional roles such as analysts, scientists and policy experts show high levels of complementarity with AI tools, which can accelerate research, data processing and draft generation.

These occupations scored above 3.5 out of 5 on augmentation, whilst their substitutability scores were typically below 3.

By contrast, administrative and clerical jobs, including accounting technicians and programme support clerks, are more exposed to automation.

The report notes that routine duties such as data entry, recordkeeping and scheduling are well suited to AI systems, which can perform them quickly and accurately.

The findings highlight that knowledge-intensive roles in fields such as law, medicine and engineering benefit most from AI as a research assistant, whilst repetitive jobs face greater substitution.

The report recommends government agencies focus on reskilling, cross-disciplinary training and valuing adaptability to ensure staff can work effectively with AI.