Private sector pressure leads public defenders to adopt AI, study finds

The arrival of generative pre-trained transformers (GPTs) has revolutionized the way many professionals carry out tasks involving the creation of texts. In the public sector, however, this technology has sparked controversy. Frontline government employees, known as street-level civil servants, are willing to use GPTs, even when their organizations forbid this. A study by Gabriela Lotta, Neomi Frisch-Aviram and Luciana Jordão, published in the Public Administration Review, analyzes how competition with the private sector has been influencing this trend among Brazilian public defenders.

The study used a mixed methods approach, combining focus groups and a quantitative experiment. In the qualitative phase, the researchers conducted two focus group meetings with public defenders in Brazil. A total of 14 participants took part in this online discussion, aimed at exploring frontline civil servants’ perceptions regarding the use of GPTs. Subsequently, an experiment involving 279 public defenders tested the hypothesis that competition with the private sector has been stimulating the unauthorized use of GPTs.

Results

The results indicate that public defenders view GPTs as a promising tool for enhancing efficiency and easing workloads, particularly in the case of repetitive tasks. However, concerns remain due to limited training and fears of losing control over essential functions. Additionally, public defenders’ offices require transparent processes, which can make the use of “black box” AI tools a significant hurdle. The study also highlights competition with colleagues in the private sector, who have more access to technology tools. This directly influences public defenders’ decision to use GPTs, even when this violates their organization’s rules.

One of the most important findings is that public defenders feel more inclined to break technology rules when they believe that their competitors in the private sector are at an advantage by using AI. However, among public defenders who compete with other public sector workers, such as prosecutors, this pressure is less. This is because both share similar restrictions regarding the use of new technologies.

Finally, the research suggests that public sector organizations need to take a more proactive approach to regulating the use of technologies such as GPTs. Resistance to the use of these tools could leave public defenders’ offices at a competitive disadvantage in relation to the private sector, which in turn could lead to an increase in the unauthorized use of GPTs.

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