Australians turn to AI & peers as trust in digital services lags
A new report from Publicis Sapient indicates that Australians, despite widespread digital connectivity, lack engagement with online government services due to trust concerns and limited awareness.
The 2025 Digital Citizens Report: Bridging the AI Gap draws on responses from more than 5,000 Australians and highlights a significant gap between daily digital habits and interactions with government platforms. While over 90% of Australians are online, many turn elsewhere-such as friends, family, or popular search engines-for information during significant life events.
Digital engagement overview
According to the research, just 34% of Australians use government websites as their initial resource for major life events, including having a baby, enrolling in school or retiring. Instead, 55% of respondents seek help from friends and family, while 42% use Google to find relevant information. Only 18% engaged with a government service through an app or phone.
Approximately 32% of Australians indicated that online government services are not top of mind, resulting in a significant segment overlooking or distrusting these digital resources. This trend is also evident among vulnerable groups, who, despite being digitally active, often perceive public platforms as difficult to use.
Generative AI shifts information-seeking behaviour
The report finds that 51% of Australians use generative artificial intelligence tools in their daily routines. These tools are used for a range of purposes, including image generation (24%), education (21%), and staying updated on news and current events (22%). Notably, 21% of Australians specifically use generative AI to find information about government services.
Steven Metzmacher, Vice President, Public Sector, Publicis Sapient Australia, provided perspective on the findings:
"Citizen behaviour is evolving faster than government technology. People are already relying on AI to find information and navigate services, and they expect the same speed, relevance and accessibility from government. To keep pace, public sector websites need to move beyond static pages and become machine-readable, structured platforms that AI can interpret and respond to. Without that shift, we risk creating a growing gap between the way Australians live their digital lives and the way public services are delivered."
Metzmacher also noted the importance of AI-powered personalisation in enhancing citizen experience, stating that a focus on experience, awareness, and trust is needed to close the digital divide:
"To close the real digital divide, leaders must shift focus from access to experience, awareness and trust. AI can help bridge that gap by learning from citizen behaviour, reducing friction in service discovery, and tailoring communication to individual needs - fundamentally redesigning not just how services are used but how they are surfaced and understood."
Preferences and expectations
The research reveals a clear demand for improvements in digital government services. About 57% of Australians said that personalisation would make them more likely to engage with such services. Additionally, 67% expressed a preference for a single digital entry point to access government platforms. For those who currently use in-person services, 60% stated they would prefer simple online access if offered.
However, data privacy and transparency remain significant concerns. Only 24% of Australians are fully comfortable sharing their data across government agencies, but another 37% said they would be willing to do so if it improved their experience. Transparency in AI applications was prioritised by 89% of respondents, with 45% requesting public access to source code. Only 11% said they would completely trust AI in a government context, with 49% calling for clear regulations and visible safeguards.
AI's potential and challenges
Generative AI continues to gain traction, with daily usage rising from 40% in 2024 to 51% in 2025. The most frequent use-case is information seeking and answering questions, cited by 42% of users. Privacy breaches, misinformation, and scams related to generative AI are primary concerns for 45% of Australians surveyed.
The report suggests that as AI tools become more integrated into everyday activities, there is growing potential to apply these technologies to transform government services. Cautious implementation is necessary, with calls for ethical guardrails, transparency, and citizen consent to maintain trust and accountability.
Angela Robinson, Country Managing Director, Publicis Sapient Australia, commented on the broader implications for public policy:
"Improving digital government services is not only about convenience, but also about making sure Australians can access the support they need in ways that reflect how they live and engage today. At the recent Economic Reform Roundtable, the development of an artificial intelligence plan for the Australian Public Service was identified as one of the top ten priorities for driving long term economic growth.
"This research shows why that matters. People are already using AI to complete everyday tasks, including finding information about government services, yet many official platforms remain difficult to find or navigate. To build a more connected, productive and inclusive future, governments need to invest in digital experiences that are designed around people and the technologies that they use every day."
Technical note: The findings cited are based on an online survey conducted in April 2025 involving 5,250 participants across Australia, representative of the national demographic profile.
