Resources
Writing on AI value in government
15 articles, 2017 to 2026, on why AI investment so rarely shows up in departmental results, and what changes that.
Realizing value
Why AI efficiencies rarely reach the budget, and the disciplines that change that.
- September 2026 · 9 minHours Saved but Nothing Banked: The Five Disciplines That Turn Government AI Efficiencies into Budget RealityAcross the Government of Canada, departments are under pressure to use AI to improve productivity, strengthen services and help absorb growing demands within shrinking budgets.
- June 2026 · 7 minTo Realize AI Value, Start with the Measure - Not the TechnologyArtificial intelligence is no longer hard to find. It's available in office suites, service platforms, analytics environments, workflow systems, and increasingly in the applications employees already use every…
- June 2025 · 4 minSeizing the AI Dividend: Funding Carney's Defence Pledge through Strategic AI Investment in the Public ServiceCanada stands at a critical juncture. Prime Minister Mark Carney has committed to meeting NATO's 2% GDP defence spending target—a pledge that requires an additional $9.3 billion annually.
- May 2025 · 20 minBridging the Gap: Transforming AI Policy into Tangible ROI for the Federal Public ServiceIntroduction: Under Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership, the Canadian government has placed a renewed emphasis on adopting artificial intelligence (AI) to boost efficiency across federal departments.
- April 2025 · 4 minPaying a Lot to Save a Little: Beware the AI Productivity IllusionAcross the public and private sectors, organizations are racing to adopt artificial intelligence tools with the promise of unlocking new efficiencies.
- April 2025 · 8 minAI with Impact: A Benefits-Driven Blueprint for Canada's Strained Public ServiceIntroduction: The Perfect Storm
Redesigning the operating model
Business architecture, agents and process redesign in the age of AI.
- January 2025 · 3 minPass the Butter – What’s Keeping Advanced AI on the Slow Path to Business Value?If you’re a fan of Rick and Morty , you’ll remember the episode where Rick creates a sentient robot, but it learns to its horror that its sole task in the world is to pass the butter.
- May 2024 · 6 minWhy Intelligent Agents are the Future of Efficient Business ArchitecturesThe Limited Value of Large Language Models in Business Applications
- February 2024 · 5 minNavigating the AI Revolution: A New Blueprint for Business ArchitectureA Profession that Must Adapt
- February 2023 · 4 minGet Ready for an AI Revolution in Public Sector Project ManagementLet's face it. Being a public sector project manager of large projects is no piece of cake. Among their challenges is that PMs must ensure their project's compliance with torrents of government policies,…
- April 2017 · 2 minCommercialization - The Soft Underbelly of Artificial IntelligenceArtificial intelligence has grabbed business by the lapels and is demanding its time in the spotlight. Breathless headlines in the mainstream media feed the flames and it’s not hard to see why. A.I.
Leadership, governance and adoption
Who must lead, and what it takes for people to trust and use AI.
- July 2026 · 11 minThe Undelegatable File: Why Deputies Must Personally Lead Their Department's AI TransformationThe AI value squeeze play resolves only at the deputy's desk. Here is the evidence, the reasoning, and how to equip yourself for the job that is not in your background.
- December 2025 · 8 minAI Killed the Concept of the Minimum Viable ProductThe promise of Artificial Intelligence in the public sector is not merely the automation of tasks; it is the responsible delegation of cognitive labour.
AI and the public service workforce
What AI means for public servants' jobs, skills and careers.
- October 2024 · 9 minA Sneak Peek into the Future of AI in the Public ServiceAs AI continues to advance, its impact on public service jobs is becoming less a matter of "if" and more a matter of "how and when." Former Clerk of the Privy Council, Michael Wernick, is recently quoted as…
- March 2024 · 4 minAI in the Public Service: Personal Strategies for a Synergistic FutureThe consensus on the influence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is raising eyebrows in the workforce, including with members of the public service .
Talks and correspondence
- October 2026 · IFSD 360° ProgramAI, Government, and JobsA briefing for federal financial officers on rapid advances in AI and what they mean for Canada's fiscal base and the work of government. Held under the Chatham House Rule.
- September 2026 · Task Force for Modernizing GovernmentFrom AI adoption to mission-level results in the federal governmentA letter to the Task Force arguing that government must distinguish AI productivity tools, task automation and end-to-end mission redesign, and assess initiatives against government-specific success factors.