New research from Euna Solutions shows that while most public sector agencies are exploring AI, measurable value today is concentrated in operational workflows such as procurement, budgeting, grants, and payments
ATLANTA & TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Euna Solutions®, the leading provider of purpose-built cloud solutions for the public sector, today announced the release of its new report, State of AI in the Public Sector. The report examines how public sector agencies across North America are adopting artificial intelligence (AI), which use cases are expected to deliver measurable operational value, and what conditions are required for responsible, scalable adoption.
Based on original research with public sector finance and operations leaders, the report finds that while curiosity about AI is widespread, most agencies remain in the earliest stages of adoption. Leaders are no longer debating whether AI matters; instead, they are focused on where it can deliver real, measurable value, and how to adopt it responsibly within complex regulatory and operational environments.
“AI represents a present opportunity for government, not a distant one,” said Tom Amburgey, Chief Executive Officer of Euna Solutions. “The greatest impact of AI is coming from practical applications that strengthen the backbone of government operations—procurement, budgeting, grants, and payments. This is where modern public sector SaaS platforms can deliver measurable gains in accuracy, efficiency, and trust.”
Key Findings Highlight a Gap Between Interest and Readiness
The report reveals a widening gap between enthusiasm and execution. While 57% of agencies are actively exploring and learning about AI, only 16% are piloting small projects, and just 1.6% report broad deployment across departments. According to respondents, adoption is slowed not by skepticism, but by structural constraints, including security and privacy concerns, unclear governance and policy guidance, legacy systems, and limited staff capacity.
Among the most notable findings:
- Interest outpaces deployment: 57% of agencies are actively exploring and learning about AI, but only 16% are piloting small projects, and just 1.6% report broad deployment across departments.
- Operational AI delivers earlier value than generative tools: Respondents see the most promise in automating high-volume, rules-based workflows rather than deploying standalone generative copilots.
- Time savings is the top success metric: More than two-thirds of respondents identified productivity and hours saved as their primary desired outcomes, ahead of cost savings or technical sophistication.
- Financial workflows lead early adoption: Top near-term use cases include procurement RFP generation (29%), forecasting and scenario planning (27%), and grants research and matching (25%).
Barriers to AI Adoption Are Structural, Not Motivational
The report emphasizes that agencies want to adopt AI, but many lack the foundational conditions needed to scale safely. Adoption is slowed not by skepticism but by infrastructure, governance, and capacity limitations.
Primary barriers to AI adoption include:
- Protecting sensitive resident and financial data
- Lack of clear federal or state AI governance guidance
- Legacy technology constraints
- Limited staff capacity and organizational bandwidth
Despite these challenges, the report highlights a clear path forward. Agencies that succeed with AI tend to start small, focus on workflows rather than tools, and build governance in parallel with experimentation. In many cases, the fastest progress comes from evaluating AI capabilities already embedded within trusted GovTech platforms, reducing risk while delivering immediate efficiency gains.
AI as the Next Layer of Public-Sector Infrastructure
The report concludes that AI is rapidly becoming a foundational layer of public sector infrastructure, much like cloud computing and cybersecurity before it. Agencies that define success early—using practical metrics such as time saved, accuracy improved, and workload reduced—will be better positioned to scale AI responsibly over the next 24 to 36 months.
“Public sector teams don’t need to deploy AI everywhere overnight,” said Amburgey. “Real progress happens when agencies rely on trusted platforms where AI expertise is already thoughtfully embedded into essential workflows. With AI built directly into the systems governments depend on, agencies can reduce risk, gain efficiency, and better serve their communities.”
Research Methodology
Survey of 58 public-sector finance and operations leaders conducted at Euna Solutions’ 2025 Eunaverse user conference (September 2025).
Read the full State of AI in Public Sector report here.
About Euna Solutions
Euna Solutions® is the leading provider of purpose-built, cloud-based software designed to streamline procurement, budgeting, payments, and grants management for public sector and government organizations. Euna's AI-powered features and intelligent automation help organizations make better-informed decisions, ensure compliance, empower collaboration, and reduce administrative burden. Euna's full-cycle financial suite supports more than 3,600 organizations across North America in building trust, enabling transparency, and driving positive community impact. Recognized on Government Technology’s GovTech 100 list, Euna Solutions is committed to advancing public sector innovation. To learn more, visit www.eunasolutions.com.
Contacts
Media contact:
Michael Tebo
Gabriel Marketing Group (for Euna Solutions)
Email: michaelt@gabrielmarketing.com
