Trust, capacity and motivation: How public administrations are building AI readiness

Finally, for public administrations struggling with internal disinterest, indifference, or resistance to AI transformation, the question of motivation becomes a pressing one.

The solution may not lie in persuading civil servants that AI is exciting, but in demonstrating that AI governance is about professionalisation, better public value creation, and strengthening institutional legitimacy.

In practice, this requires moving beyond ad hoc training towards structural changes such as embedding AI-related competencies into human resource systems, performance evaluation, and leadership incentives. Without this, AI risks becoming another buzzword or compliance exercise, rather than a meaningful driver of reform. Reframing motivation as professionalisation offers a more sustainable entry point, where capability development is recognised, rewarded, and embedded across institutions.

As Valentina Miličić noted, "not knowing all the answers is not a weakness". In the context of AI, uncertainty is not a barrier to action, but a condition to be managed through stronger institutions. The discussions in Zagreb demonstrated that AI readiness is not only defined by technological advancement, but by the ability of public administrations to build trust, develop capacity, and align people around a shared direction of reform. The challenge ahead is not whether to adopt AI, but how to shape its use to reinforce accountability, professionalism, and public trust.