When it comes to technology for local governments, change is the norm. Each day, advancements are made in how departments and staff serve their citizens and maximize efficiency as demand for services continues to grow.
Understanding the biggest GovTech trends of 2025 requires looking toward the future potential of what software and platforms can do for towns, cities, and counties.
The overall theme of GovTech’s evolution these days is doing more than ever while simplifying processes. Automating time-consuming administrative tasks and harnessing the power of artificial intelligence in exciting new ways are just two examples of what can be done today.
Thanks to technology, improving work that can be done on the go with mobile devices is another sign of progress toward more efficient government. The latest and most advanced software in 2025 can ensure that governments across North America can keep up with today's possibilities.
Let’s take a deeper look at the top three GovTech trends that will define 2025.
It’s seemingly everywhere these days: Artificial intelligence. Don’t expect that to change this year, especially when it comes to GovTech.
Governments and agencies of all sizes are already beginning to experiment with AI. The latest examples include using chatbots to write messaging, tapping into artificial intelligence to boost support, engaging with community members, or even launching self-service tools to make processes more transparent and efficient.
In June 2024, Ernst & Young LLP surveyed 355 state and local government professionals, reporting that 51% said they were using AI daily. The most common use they reported for generative AI was summarizing text or information, followed by brainstorming. Nearly 3 in 4 said they benefited from better efficiency and saved time with AI tools. More than half were already starting to value experience in AI with new candidates for government positions.
However, unclear rules regarding AI usage were seen as a hindrance to adopting these modern tools. Additionally, 28% of the state and local employees who responded said their biggest challenge was resistance to change.
Even as far back as November 2022, a survey of 1,000 people about their usage of digital services in the United States found that nearly half (47%) of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they’d want government agencies to adopt AI if it could boost convenience, save time, or personalize services.
The role of AI in local government will only continue to grow throughout 2025. OpenAI, the maker of the leading chatbot ChatGPT, recently announced ChatGPT Gov, a specially designed version meant to help agencies in the U.S. government use the tool even more and manage their security for sensitive or private information.
Improving customer experience is a focus for today’s governments. In 2024, the Deloitte Center for Government Insights released a report outlining examples of 10x improvements for agencies, and it all comes down to technology and innovation.
In addition to trends like increasing productivity with AI and embracing collaboration with outside agencies, Deloitte said governments are considering how to improve the experience for the citizens and stakeholders they serve. One example is enabling businesses to apply for and pay for licenses online with licensing software that offers a more efficient and user-friendly transaction.
Local departments are eager to find ways to simplify their processes, including automating notifications and status updates. Rather than requiring staff members to spend valuable time contacting applicants or fielding phone calls, modern community development software can automatically update applicants as they seek permits, inspections, and more.
For many local governments, the demand for services is booming at the same time they’re facing budget cuts or staffing challenges. Public sector employment dropped considerably after the COVID-19 pandemic, with 746,000 job openings in America’s state and local governments by late 2023. Automating tasks is how departments can keep up with the workload — especially repetitive work or administrative efforts that take time away from more important things.
Modern community development software looks for these opportunities for automation. Inspection software that can integrate with the local GIS and map out ideal travel routes for inspectors can maximize employee efficiency, for example, while online enforcement management software enables citizens to submit complaints without calling.
In 2025, any chance to automate a cumbersome task and refocus that saved time on more pressing work will be essential to a local government’s success. Still, how will governmental agencies make the most out of the time they save? One answer is to maximize what government professionals can do in the field.
It requires a mobile-friendly approach that can make remote work easier than ever, boosting the productivity of government staff. With today’s local government software, inspectors can complete their work right in the field — and even add notes and photos at the site — on a mobile inspections app that works online or offline. Features like this help local government professionals get their jobs done wherever they are without returning to the office to re-enter reports.
Making the most of the workday is essential for today’s government professionals. That’s why the 2025 GovTech trends are all about automating time-consuming tasks and getting more work done on the go. However, one hurdle to these goals is fragmentation.
Local governments rely on various software and platforms daily, and these systems need to work together. The answer is Application Programming Interfaces, or APIs, that link different software together.
With community development software APIs, government professionals can simplify online payments, generate daily work lists, access real-time property information, and streamline project tracking all in one platform.
There are an estimated 200 million public and private APIs, and these integrations will continue to advance, offering even more exciting ways to harness the full power of software.
Technology for local governments can transform how professionals get their work done and improve the process for citizens. The right technology, including online community development software, can help them be more efficient than ever before.
Cloudpermit’s modern software for local governments streamlines permitting and planning, enables mobile inspections, and automates administrative work to save time. Learn more about what we can do for you in 2025 — book a demo with us.