Survey: 87% of Americans would use AI assistants for government services

A new Salesforce survey reveals overwhelming public support for AI-powered assistants in government services, with 87 percent of Americans willing to use AI agents to navigate bureaucratic processes. This shift toward automated government interactions comes as citizens increasingly view certain administrative tasks as time-wasting, particularly those involving complex or redundant forms. The findings highlight significant opportunities for digital transformation in public services, though demographic differences and lingering concerns about AI implementation remain important considerations.

The big picture: Americans are ready to embrace AI agents for government services, with nearly 9 in 10 expressing willingness to use virtual assistants to streamline bureaucratic processes.

• Salesforce’s survey of 1,000 Americans revealed strong public appetite for AI-powered solutions that could reduce time spent on confusing government tasks.
• The results suggest a significant opportunity for public sector digital transformation, particularly in areas where citizens report the most frustration.

Where frustrations run highest: Citizens identified several government processes as particularly time-wasting due to confusing or redundant questions.

• 63 percent of respondents found applying for financial aid to be frustrating.
• 61 percent cited renewing or enrolling in benefits as problematic.
• Other pain points include applying for or renewing licenses or permits (53 percent) and paying government fees or fines (43 percent).

Real-world impact: Salesforce has already demonstrated the potential of AI-powered government services through its work with the California DMV.

• The company helped reduce Real ID application times from 35 minutes to just seven minutes through AI and digital transformation solutions.
• Nasi Jazayeri, Salesforce’s executive VP for public sector, highlighted license renewals as “a great initial use case” for agentic AI in government.

Demographic differences: The survey revealed notable variations in AI acceptance across age groups and gender.

• Baby boomers represented 49 percent of those unwilling to use AI agents for government interactions, despite making up only 27 percent of the total sample.
• Women accounted for 64 percent of those reluctant to use AI for public-sector affairs, despite comprising only 52 percent of respondents.

Lingering concerns: Despite broad acceptance, Americans have specific worries about AI-powered government services that would need addressing.

• Loss of human connection topped the list of public concerns.
• Other key issues included fears about inaccurate information, data security risks, lack of accountability, and insufficient transparency.

Why this matters: As government agencies face pressure to modernize services and improve efficiency, AI agents offer a potential solution that aligns with citizen preferences while addressing longstanding pain points in administrative processes.