Berlin event highlights pathways for AI-enabled public services in Europa
On 4–5 March, the e-Governance Academy (eGA) hosted in Berlin an international gathering of civil servants from four Spanish regional governments — Andalucía, Navarra, Extremadura, and Madrid — as well as representatives of the German federal government. The meeting marked the final event of the European Commission–supported project “Supporting regional entrepreneurship through the adoption of innovative technologies, including AI, in public services.”
Over two days, participants explored how digital innovation and artificial intelligence can strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems and modernise public services, building on insights gathered throughout the project from analysis, workshops, study visits, and policy reports.
The programme began with a study visit introducing participants to Berlin’s dynamic AI and startup ecosystem. The delegation visited Humboldt-Innovation Ltd., the innovation arm of Humboldt University, as well as CIC Berlin, the innovation hub UNI, and team Reaktor.Berlin. These visits provided a first-hand look at how collaboration between universities, startups, investors, and policymakers can accelerate the development of new technologies and strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The first day concluded at the Estonian Business Hub in Berlin located at the Embassy of Estonia with a keynote session and networking dinner. The event was opened by Estonia’s Ambassador to Germany, Marika Linntam, who encouraged participants to approach artificial intelligence with curiosity and confidence. “AI is like learning to ride a bicycle. If you only look at the bike, you will never learn to ride it. But once you start and gain experience, you become more and more confident,” she said.
During the keynote session, Krisstina Rao, Project Manager of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Map at the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London, discussed the role of digital public infrastructure in enabling governments to build scalable and interoperable digital services. Felix Sieker, researcher and project manager at Bertelsmann Stiftung, presented a broader societal perspective on digital transformation, highlighting the importance of ensuring that technological innovation serves the common good and supports inclusive economic development.
The following day marked the official final conference of the project, bringing together policymakers and experts to reflect on the project’s results and discuss the path toward AI-enabled public services. The opening session featured remarks from Celia Liagoura, Policy Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support, and Piret Hirv, Head of the Data Management Competence Centre at eGA. Liagoura outlined the European Union’s goal of strengthening entrepreneurship and AI readiness in the public sector, highlighting how the Technical Support Instrument helps EU member states advance digital transformation.
In a comprehensive overview of the project journey, project team lead Piret Hirv presented the key outcomes achieved during the initiative. By analysing regional needs, identifying gaps and providing practical solutions, the project aimed to help public authorities move beyond experimentation with emerging technologies and move toward concrete implementation strategies.
Throughout the event, speakers shared insights from regional SWOT analyses conducted during the project and outlined the foundational elements public administrations must establish before implementing advanced technologies. Sessions also addressed the critical role of cybersecurity and ethics in the deployment of artificial intelligence, presented international best practices from countries such as Singapore, Estonia, Finland, Ukraine, Norway and Denmark, and explored the importance of change management and capacity building in the public sector.
Presentations also introduced practical recommendations for translating analysis into action. Experts highlighted how participatory foresight exercises, stakeholder engagement, and scenario planning can help regions identify realistic pathways for implementing AI-enabled public services.
The event featured two lively discussions with regional representatives. In the first panel, participants shared practical experiences from their own ecosystems. Together they explored potential use cases for artificial intelligence in public services that support entrepreneurs and examined the regulatory and operational challenges involved in deploying such technologies. The second discussion focused on the future of AI-enabled public services, exploring the challenges, concerns, and opportunities surrounding their development and adoption.
As the event concluded, participants emphasised that while artificial intelligence has significant potential to improve public services for entrepreneurs, successful adoption requires much more than technology alone. Effective governance, institutional readiness, cross-regional cooperation, and a strong focus on human capacity were identified as essential ingredients for sustainable AI adoption. Participants also highlighted the importance of maintaining the networks established during the project and continuing knowledge exchange beyond its official duration.
Empowered by new insights and inspiring examples from across Europe and beyond, the project partners expressed a shared commitment to continue advancing secure and sustainable AI adoption in public services to deliver better support for entrepreneurs and more effective services for citizens.
