Survey finds agencies prioritizing governance, oversight, and operational efficiency as AI adoption matures

McLean, VA — June 10, 2026 — Appian (Nasdaq: APPN) today announced findings from a new survey of 2,000 US public sector workers, revealing that government agencies are increasingly moving AI beyond experimentation and into operational use. More than one-third (37%) of respondents describe their agency's AI integration as advanced, with AI embedded in multiple mission-critical processes, while another 32% say AI deployment is actively developing. Only 6% report that AI has not yet been integrated into agency processes. At the same time, adoption is not without challenges. Fourteen percent of respondents report their agency is re-evaluating AI investments due to budget, staffing, or other concerns, while 12% cite a lack of ROI as a reason for reassessment.

The findings suggest public sector organizations are increasingly focused on applying AI to improve government operations, support mission delivery, and strengthen decision-making while establishing the governance foundations needed to scale adoption responsibly.

AI adoption expands across operational government functions

Among agencies moving AI into production, adoption is occurring across a broad range of operational functions. Nearly half (47%) of respondents report AI is already in production for workforce planning and HR operations, followed by investigations, compliance, and case management (45%), procurement and contract management (44%), grants management (43%), cybersecurity and threat detection (42%), and citizen service delivery (41%).

These survey results demonstrate that agencies are applying AI across functions that support day-to-day government operations, from internal workforce management to citizen-facing services.

Governance and oversight emerge as priorities for scaling AI

As AI adoption grows, agencies are placing significant emphasis on the governance structures needed to support responsible use. Nearly half of respondents identify data privacy and security (46%), compliance with laws and standards (45%), and human oversight and accountability (44%) as top responsible AI priorities. Transparency and auditability also rank highly, with 42% citing them as key considerations.

The survey also found that agencies are actively aligning AI initiatives with government requirements. Forty percent of respondents report their agency is fully aligned and actively reporting AI use cases in accordance with current government directives, while 54% say alignment efforts are underway and governance frameworks remain in development.

Operational efficiency remains a key focus for future AI investments

Looking ahead, agencies are prioritizing AI initiatives that improve mission performance and operational outcomes. Respondents identified improving operational efficiency in mission delivery or citizen services (40%), automating complex workflows based on context, data, and prior outcomes (38%), improving decision-making with data-driven insights (37%), and ensuring compliance and reducing risk (35%) as their top AI strategy priorities.