Government leaders must prioritize workforce development over rapid technology adoption to ensure long-term public sector success. Mohamed Shareef, former Maldives Minister of State for Environment, Climate Change and Technology, and Dr. Ong Kian Ming, former Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry, argue that investing in human capital, rather than just digital infrastructure, is the most effective way to build resilient, AI-ready states. This strategy, highlighted at the GovInsider Festival of Innovation 2026, emphasizes cognitive sovereignty—the ability for a nation to retain its own decision-making and intellectual capabilities despite the proliferation of external digital tools.
Why should governments prioritize people over new technology?
Technology markets naturally drive the adoption of new digital tools, making it unnecessary for governments to fixate on the latest hardware or software upgrades. According to Mohamed Shareef, governments often fall into a trap of “rushing to do things faster,” which displaces the long-term planning required to build genuine public trust. Instead, he suggests that public sector resources should be channeled into equipping the workforce to manage the shifting environments that technology creates. By investing in people, governments stimulate the economic engine that eventually sustains technological development.
Research from the OECD consistently shows that public sector digital transformation fails more often due to cultural resistance and skill gaps than technical limitations.
How can governments maintain cognitive sovereignty?
Cognitive sovereignty refers to a state’s ability to generate its own solutions rather than merely consuming them from third-party vendors. Dr. Ong Kian Ming warns that outsourcing critical thinking to consultancies or foreign technology providers creates a dangerous dependency. He notes that while external input can enhance policy, the core intellectual property and decision-making authority must remain internal. Shareef adds that when governments outsource their thinking, they effectively outsource their learning, leaving them ill-equipped to navigate unpredictable future challenges.
What is the “slow cooking” approach to digital policy?
Governments should treat policy development like “slow cooking over the dinner table,” a term used by Dr. Ong to describe the necessity of long-term engagement with citizens. While AI is efficient at generating answers, Shareef argues that it is the role of humans to frame the right questions. By focusing on deep, human-centric policy planning, governments build a foundation of trust. This allows AI to act as a tool for implementation rather than a substitute for the strategic direction of the state.
Pro tips for public sector leaders
- Focus on empathy: As Dr. Ong noted, citizens respond to whether a government shows it cares, which is a prerequisite for successful policy implementation.
- Leverage regional networks: Shareef suggests using blocs like ASEAN to share resources and training, helping smaller nations build workforce capacity without massive, independent budget increases.
- Retain intellectual control: Avoid handing over entire policy frameworks to external algorithms or consultants.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean to “outsource thinking” in government?
It happens when government agencies rely entirely on external service providers or AI platforms to formulate policy, losing the internal expertise needed to understand or challenge those solutions.
Why is AI dangerous for long-term planning?
According to Shareef, AI is excellent at generating fast answers, but it can encourage a culture of speed that neglects the slow, deliberative process of building public trust.
How can governments invest in people during budget cuts?
Shareef recommends leveraging regional partnerships and cross-border cooperation to pool resources for workforce training rather than attempting to build expensive, proprietary systems alone.
How is your organization balancing the rapid adoption of AI with the need to retain human-centric decision-making? Share your thoughts in the comments below or subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more insights on public sector innovation.
