AI can help government spend billions better. But humans have to be in charge

Auckland, Nov 9 (The Conversation) The New Zealand government spends about NZD 51.5 billion each year – around 20 per cent of GDP – on goods, services and infrastructure from third-party suppliers. It’s a lot, but how that money is spent matters as much as the amount.

Public procurement isn’t just about buying office supplies. Governments rely on it to build bridges and hospitals, source defence and medical supplies, deliver essential services, and purchase everything from cloud computing systems to renewable-energy infrastructure.