Image
Frau mit oranger Bluse vor Laptop

29.08.2024 | Blog Search Software and Generative AI: Innovation for Public Administration

The digitalization of public administration is progressing and presents authorities with the challenge of efficiently processing large volumes of information. At the same time, citizens' expectations for fast and reliable services are increasing. Intelligent search software, enhanced by generative AI, offers a solution here and opens new opportunities for the public sector.

1. The growing flood of data is a challenge

Public authorities and local administrations are confronted with a growing flood of information in their daily work - from citizen-generated data and administrative regulations to current administrative records and archive documents. Citizens' demand for fast and efficient services is constantly growing, as they have become accustomed to high standards due to digitalization in the consumer sector.

2. Intelligent search software makes information efficiently accessible

AI-based enterprise search is a promising technology to tackle these challenges. Intelligent search software such as iFinder can use so-called connectors to link, index and analyze a wide variety of data sources from public authorities. With the help of advanced text analysis processes and artificial intelligence methods such as machine learning, deep learning and semantic search, the software captures structured and unstructured content, sorts and aggregates it and puts it in the right context.

This enables employees to find the information they need quickly and reliably through one central search interface. This not only makes day-to-day work easier, but also strengthens knowledge management within the authority. New employees can be trained faster and the valuable knowledge of leaving colleagues that is stored in various systems and formats does not get lost.

3. Search plus - automated processing of documents in workflows

The potential applications of this AI-based search software go far beyond simple searches, as it uses intelligent document analysis to enable the further processing of documents in information-based processes. For example:

  • Completeness checks on citizen portals: 
    When applications are submitted, the software can automatically check whether all the required documents are available and, if necessary, inform the applicants accordingly. This shortens the processing time for both employees and citizens.
  • Automated e-mail routing
    Incoming e-mails in the administration's general mailboxes are automatically recognized by topic, sorted and forwarded to the relevant departments. This ensures faster processing.
  • GDPR-compliant data information: 
    The software enables personal data to be found quickly in millions of documents so that requests for information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) can be answered promptly.

4. Who, where, what? Chat with data from your own organization

The integration of generative AI expands the capabilities of enterprise search to include dialogue capabilities. AI assistants offer employees great support, especially in knowledge management. They not only understand and process human language, but they can also create answers and summarize texts to be used in emails, memos, etc. This opens numerous new application possibilities, some of which we are already implementing with public authorities, such as:

  • Answers from the intranet
    A question-answering bot integrated into the intranet enables employees to ask questions in natural language and receive well-founded answers based on internal data and taking into account their respective access permissions. 
  • Summary of search results: 
    The information that was returned by a search, such as reports or e-files, is summarized concisely, in each case indicating the sources.
  • Interactive e-files: 
    Employees can ‘question’ e-files and enter a dialogue-based exchange, like a chatbot, but with a higher level of quality and accuracy.
  • Memo assistant: 
    Generative AI can assist caseworkers to create memos by summarizing the facts of the case. The final assessment, however, remains the responsibility of the employee.

5. AI assistant integrated into Enterprise Search protects against false and unauthorized information

The most interesting use case for an organization is to use generative AI with their own data. But how to avoid hallucinations that have recently occurred with chatbots such as ChatGPT and how to prevent information from reaching unauthorized users?

Enterprise Search connects and integrates all internal data sources. When users perform a search query, Enterprise Search scans the organization’s own data for relevant information and provides the retrieved passages to the AI model to generate an answer. If new documents or data are added to the connected data sources, they are automatically indexed by the search software. This means that the answers provided by the generative AI are always based on up-to-date information. This significantly reduces the risk of hallucinations. In addition, Enterprise Search indicates the sources from which an answer was generated – this increases transparency, and users can always check the information source.

Central internal data protection requirements of public administrations are also fulfilled: As the search software automatically takes data access rights into account, employees only receive information in their answers that they are authorized to see and use. To also ensure external data security, it is advisable to operate the generative AI models on-premises, on the organization’s own servers. This means that no information flows to ultimately uncontrollable cloud providers of generative AI services.

6. Compliant with the EU AI Act

Search engines that use artificial intelligence, such as iFinder, must comply with the requirements of the new EU AI Act. This regulation ensures that AI is used ethically, transparently and safely. Authorities can therefore rely on the maximum safety and efficiency of the solutions in day-to-day operations.

Conclusion

By utilizing and processing information efficiently, public administrations can improve their services and meet the increasing expectations of citizens. Intelligent search software in combination with generative AI helps to speed up administrative processes while ensuring data security - an important building block in the context of digital sovereignty.

Related articles

Image
Netzwerk

GenAI - From hype to practical application

Generative AI based on large language models (LLMs) offers public authorities a wide range of opportunities to increase their productivity. They now face the challenge of transforming the AI hype into concrete applications in the business environment. Learn how organizations can safely use their own data with generative AI to increase efficiency.
Read blog
Image
Frau mit Brille

More about generative AI and iFinder Enterprise Search

Are you currently thinking about using generative AI, do you have current projects or use cases for large language models such as GPT and would like to learn how these can be integrated with iFinder?
Learn more
Image
Kollegen im Gang

Modern administration: Increased efficiency through AI-driven search

Public administration faces numerous challenges, such as the daily increase in data volumes, a shortage of skilled workers, and the pressure to digitize. This is where AI-based enterprise search comes into play as an efficient tool.
Learn more

The author

Franz Kögl
CEO
Franz Kögl is co-founder and co-owner of IntraFind Software AG and has more than 20 years of experience in Enterprise Search and Content Analytics.
Image
Autor Franz Kögl IntraFind