Articles

Leveraging G2B2C Models to Enhance Citizen Engagement

- Panchalee Thakur

The Middle East is undergoing a rapid digital transformation, driven by ambitious initiatives such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE Centennial 2071 plan. These efforts aim to enhance economic diversification, foster innovation, and create seamless interactions between governments, businesses, and citizens. The Government-to-Business-to-Consumer (G2B2C) model is emerging as a crucial enabler, ensuring responsive governance, efficient service delivery, and enhanced citizen engagement through AI-powered digital ecosystems.

The evolving dynamics of citizen engagement: AI in government

Today’s digital-savvy citizens expect seamless, intuitive experiences when accessing services, whether purchasing or subscribing to a service or seeking government support.

Modern citizens expect intuitive, real-time access to services. Traditional engagement methods often fall short of meeting these expectations. The adoption of AI and AI-driven marketplaces can pave the way for a responsive, inclusive, and effective form of governance that is in line with the expectations of today’s society. Across public services, AI is already driving transformation in several key areas.

Healthcare

Emirate Health Services (EHS) partnered with US-based Care AI in 2023 to implement a “smart” virtual care nursing platform powered by Generative AI, transforming emergency care, operating rooms, and intensive care and neonatal units.

Disaster management and cybersecurity

The Artificial Intelligence for Digital Response (AIDR) technology, developed in partnership with the Qatar Computing Research Institute, proved invaluable during Hurricane Harvey’s impact by providing real-time data for disaster response. Similarly, AI-enabled tools can help with intelligence sharing among government agencies and safeguard citizen data.

Chatbots and virtual assistants

Dubai’s government leverages RAMMAS, an AI virtual assistant that helps citizens with tasks such as bill payments, application tracking, and job applications, enhancing accessibility and efficiency in delivering government services.

The G2B2C model: Driving innovation in digital marketplaces

The UAE and Saudi Arabia have accelerated their efforts to establish themselves as leaders in the AI domain, signing several agreements to drive innovation and economic diversification.

This approach to digital transformation facilitates collaboration between governments, businesses, and citizens, which is a core of the G2B2C (Government-to-Business-to-Consumer) model. It enables governments and private enterprises to co-create dynamic ecosystems where:

Governments have a platform to expand public service delivery

The UAE government launched the UAE API Marketplace to ensure the delivery of superior government services and enable the private sector to collaborate and provide a value-added customer experience. Spearheaded by the Emirates Government Services Excellence Programme (EGSEP) and the Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), the initiative empowers enterprises and businesses to deliver interconnected, reliable, and seamless government services while supporting safe data sharing among entities.

Automated processes can be integrated with shared infrastructure

AI, including GenAI technologies, has immense potential to transform government operations by automating processes and enhancing public service delivery. Gartner predicts that 75% of governments will have initiated or actively pursued at least three hyper-automation projects in 2024, with Robotic Process Automation (RPA) playing a key role in modernization efforts. Hyperautomation is expected to free up government workers to focus on higher-value tasks and provide accelerated service delivery.

Better public-private partnerships (PPP) drive innovation and help with national development goals

As part of its We the UAE 2031 vision, the country is focused on social, economic, and development goals to strengthen its position as a global economic hub. The UAE aims to build an advanced digital ecosystem that empowers individuals, communities, stakeholders, and systems to leverage technology for accessing services and connecting with one another. This will offer new opportunities for governments and businesses to form strategic PPPs and support UAE’s economic diversification plans.

Transforming citizen engagement through AI and data-driven insights

AI can help improve citizen engagement, but its implementation requires careful planning that covers ethical considerations, data protection and compliance, and talent development.

Navigating data security and compliance

Managing sensitive citizen data while complying with data protection regulations remains a challenge. Engaging citizens and stakeholders in the process and conducting algorithmic impact assessments can ensure regulatory compliance and citizen voices are captured and integrated effectively.

Building public trust through ethical AI use

The use of AI within government systems can perpetuate biases and erode citizens’ trust. Transparent practices, such as setting up advisory boards to capture citizen inputs, clarifying AI use cases, and offering opt-out options can help build public confidence. Explainable AI (XAI) methods and unbiased social media data for feedback loop further increase transparency and ethical use.

Enhancing data quality and availability for AI

AI systems rely on accurate and complete data, which may be lacking in government datasets. To improve data quality and availability, there needs to be a dedicated effort toward data cleaning and preparation.

Bridging the skill gap and talent shortages

The private sector often outcompetes government agencies in hiring and training AI professionals. By focusing on upskilling existing staff and strategically hiring new talent, government agencies can build internal AI expertise to handle various initiatives.

Overcoming budget constraints for AI adoption

Budget constraints often hinder AI adoption in government agencies. Starting with smaller initiatives, such as AI chatbots for citizen inquiries, can demonstrate value and offer insights for scaling up and future AI projects.

Shaping the future of governance

As the Middle East continues its journey toward digital transformation, the G2B2C model is becoming a powerful catalyst for innovation and progress. When combined with digital marketplace platforms, this approach will redefine the way governments deliver public services and engage with citizens.

Successful implementations of the G2B2C model like DubaiNow and the UAE API Marketplace showcase its potential in creating a connected and efficient governance model.

Transforming city services with DubaiNow

The DubaiNow application has surpassed one million users, reflecting its success as a cornerstone of Dubai’s digital transformation. By offering over 130 integrated services from over 30 government and private entities, the app has provided an integrated experience for city services covering daily needs, including bill payments, car registration, insurance, and residency management. DubaiNow exemplifies Dubai’s vision to become a global digital capital and enhance residents’ quality of life.

Streamlining business registration on the UAE API Marketplace

The UAE government launched its first partnership on the UAE API Marketplace platform among the Federal Tax Authority, the Telecommunications Regulatory and Digital Government Authority, and Amazon. This partnership integrates the services of the Federal Tax Authority directly with Amazon’s systems, facilitating the automation of operations and accelerating the registration process for businesses to become sellers on Amazon.ae.

Looking ahead, the adoption of digital marketplaces and AI-powered marketplace-in-a-box solutions will set new benchmarks and pave the way for future-ready governance models. The Middle East is poised to lead this revolution and shape a world where technology facilitates impactful interactions between governments, citizens, and businesses.

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About the author

Panchalee Thakur

Independent Consultant