Public service faces major transitions

The General Directorate of Administration and Public Service (DGAFP) has released a strategic review outlining the challenges the public sector must address by 2035-2050. These include adapting to digital technology, artificial intelligence, demographic shifts, environmental changes, and growing security concerns.

Digital progress and persistent challenges

The report highlights that 82% of administrative tasks can now be done online, but 44% of people surveyed have trouble using these services. It concludes that human support is still essential, particularly for vulnerable groups and complex issues, and that digital tools should help free staff for personalized assistance rather than replace them.

Dependence on IT contractors and reinternalization

The DGAFP notes that the government relies heavily on external IT contractors. It recommends increasing internal digital expertise to at least 37%, following advice from the Dinum (Interministerial Digital Directorate). This is lower than the global average of 67%, and the report cites Spain’s large-scale digitization plan, which includes creating 1,700 new digital civil service roles by 2026.

Artificial intelligence’s uneven impact

The report finds that AI will affect public service jobs unevenly. More than half of employees will face little change, while 20%—about 1.1 million people—will be significantly impacted. AI is expected to reshape tasks more than entire jobs, with time saved through automation redirected toward expertise, oversight, and user interaction.