Creating a great government experience through Agentic AI

Episode 44 of the Michael Martino Show podcast, hosted by Michael, titled "Creating a great government experience through Agentic AI" was published on September 17, 2025 and runs 5 minutes.

September 17, 2025 ·5m · Michael Martino Show

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Summary

Agentic AI is the next evolution—it’s not just about automation, it’s about intelligence, adaptability, and agency. It’s about creating government services that feel less like bureaucracy and more like a helpful guide, walking you through what you need, when you need it. What do we mean by Agentic AI? Traditional AI in government might look like a chatbot on a website that answers simple questions: “What hours is city hall open?” or “Where do I get a passport application?” Useful, but super limited. Agentic AI takes this much further. It doesn’t just answer questions—it acts. It understands context, holds goals in mind, and can take steps on behalf of the citizen. Think of it like a digital case worker who knows the rules, can fill out forms, can connect systems, and can anticipate next steps. This is the big leap: from static responses to dynamic problem-solving. Why do Government need it? Governments, more than any other organizations, deal with complexity. Citizens have to navigate countless forms, eligibility requirements, and departments that don’t always talk to each other. This creates friction—long lines, confusing websites, and frustrating phone calls. But citizens aren’t customers who can just “go somewhere else.” They rely on government, whether it’s renewing a driver’s license, applying for benefits, or paying taxes. Agentic AI offers a path to reduce friction, increase trust, and deliver services faster. What makes Agentic AI different? There are three big shifts that agentic AI brings to government: Goal-oriented service. Instead of citizens figuring out which department to go to, AI agents focus on the outcome: “I need to register a business” or “I need healthcare coverage.” The agent handles the routing Autonomy. These agents can complete tasks on their own—filling out forms, checking eligibility, scheduling appointments Proactive engagement. Instead of waiting for citizens to come to them, governments can use AI to send reminders: “It looks like your child is turning six—here’s how to register for school.” Or “Your permit is about to expire—let’s renew it now.” That’s a big change. Government moves from being reactive to being anticipatory. Challenges to consider To be clear, there are challenges. Data silos. Government systems are often fragmented. For AI to be effective, it needs access to connected data. Trust and transparency. Citizens need to know when they’re interacting with AI, how their data is being used, and that privacy is protected. Equity. We must ensure agentic AI works for everyone, including those without digital literacy or access to technology. If not managed carefully, AI could reinforce bureaucracy instead of removing it. That’s why governance, oversight, and ethical design matter so much. The road ahead Governments don’t need to wait ten years for this future. We’re already seeing pilot programs—digital assistants in tax agencies, AI-driven case management in social services, and even agentic AI prototypes for public health. The real work now is scaling these tools responsibly. That means building a foundation of data interoperability, clear AI governance policies, and human oversight. It also means rethinking the role of public servants. With AI handling repetitive tasks, employees can spend more time on empathy, complex problem-solving, and policy innovation. To wrap Agentic AI can transform the citizen experience by making government: Simpler – guiding people through complexity. Faster – automating forms and workflows. Smarter – anticipating needs before they become problems.

Episode Description

What do we mean by Agentic AI?

Traditional AI in government might look like a chatbot on a website that answers simple questions: “What hours is city hall open?” or “Where do I get a passport application?” Useful, but super limited.

Agentic AI takes this much further. It doesn’t just answer questions—it acts. It understands context, holds goals in mind, and can take steps on behalf of the citizen. Think of it like a digital case worker who knows the rules, can fill out forms, can connect systems, and can anticipate next steps.

This is the big leap: from static responses to dynamic problem-solving.

Why do Government need it?

Governments, more than any other organizations, deal with complexity. Citizens have to navigate countless forms, eligibility requirements, and departments that don’t always talk to each other.

This creates friction—long lines, confusing websites, and frustrating phone calls. But citizens aren’t customers who can just “go somewhere else.” They rely on government, whether it’s renewing a driver’s license, applying for benefits, or paying taxes.

Agentic AI offers a path to reduce friction, increase trust, and deliver services faster.

What makes Agentic AI different?

There are three big shifts that agentic AI brings to government:

Goal-oriented service. Instead of citizens figuring out which department to go to, AI agents focus on the outcome: “I need to register a business” or “I need healthcare coverage.” The agent handles the routing
Autonomy. These agents can complete tasks on their own—filling out forms, checking eligibility, scheduling appointments
Proactive engagement. Instead of waiting for citizens to come to them, governments can use AI to send reminders: “It looks like your child is turning six—here’s how to register for school.” Or “Your permit is about to expire—let’s renew it now.”

That’s a big change. Government moves from being reactive to being anticipatory.

Challenges to consider

To be clear, there are challenges.

Data silos. Government systems are often fragmented. For AI to be effective, it needs access to connected data.
Trust and transparency. Citizens need to know when they’re interacting with AI, how their data is being used, and that privacy is protected.
Equity. We must ensure agentic AI works for everyone, including those without digital literacy or access to technology.

If not managed carefully, AI could reinforce bureaucracy instead of removing it.

That’s why governance, oversight, and ethical design matter so much.

The road ahead

Governments don’t need to wait ten years for this future. We’re already seeing pilot programs—digital assistants in tax agencies, AI-driven case management in social services, and even agentic AI prototypes for public health.

The real work now is scaling these tools responsibly. That means building a foundation of data interoperability, clear AI governance policies, and human oversight.

It also means rethinking the role of public servants. With AI handling repetitive tasks, employees can spend more time on empathy, complex problem-solving, and policy innovation.

To wrap

Agentic AI can transform the citizen experience by making government: