How can local authorities use AI securely, in compliance with data protection regulations and with confidence? This question was the focus of the event ‘For local authorities: GISA AI meets information security, data protection and IT ecosystem’.
How can local authorities use AI securely, in compliance with data protection regulations and with confidence? This question was the focus of the event ‘For local authorities: GISA AI meets information security, data protection and IT ecosystem’. GISA welcomed representatives of the state of Saxony-Anhalt and numerous local authorities to this event on 30 January.
The guests included delegations from nine of Saxony-Anhalt’s eleven districts and beyond.
The focus was on the requirements for digital sovereignty and a practical exchange on the possible applications of the in-house development GISA AI Family in the municipal ecosystem.
‘In view of the current geopolitical situation, it is clear that AI can only be used responsibly in administration if security, data protection and sovereignty are an integral part of the system,’ said Tobias Krüger, Chief Digital Officer at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Digital Affairs of the State of Saxony-Anhalt. ‘We need robust ecosystems that consistently meet these requirements – and GISA shows that this is already possible today.’
With the AI Family, GISA presents a sovereign AI solution that not only guarantees data protection, but also enables local authorities and public bodies to achieve digital independence. From meeting services and research services to transcription and specialist assistants for automated workflows, all applications that are part of the GISA AI Family can be securely integrated into existing administrative structures.
The event programme was supplemented by expert presentations on architecture, information security, data protection and the role of open source technologies in promoting greater digital self-determination.
Particular attention was paid to practical experience reports from local authorities that are already testing and using initial AI solutions. These include the district of Wittenberg, which is one of the first local authorities to introduce the GISA AI Family. Claudia Thiele, digitalisation officer for the district of Wittenberg, explains: “The decisive factor for our administration was that the solution can be operated securely and integrated into existing structures. The GISA AI Family meets these requirements. In the future, we want to use artificial intelligence applications for tasks such as logging meetings, automatically deriving tasks and transcribing spoken content. We hope this will increase efficiency in our day-to-day administrative work.”
Digital self-determination instead of new dependencies
With the GISA AI Family, GISA provides a complete AI solution that is operated entirely in Germany and tailored specifically to the requirements of the public sector. The architecture, consisting of software, platform and infrastructure-as-a-service, enables local authorities to get started in line with their needs, while operation in their own certified data centre network in Halle/Leipzig ensures the highest security standards. This is complemented by a 24/7 Security Operation Centre, professional incident management and comprehensive data protection expertise.
“Digital sovereignty is crucial for local authorities to be able to act independently and securely.
Open source technologies are a central component of this. With the GISA AI Family and our expanded range of services for greater sovereignty, we offer the public sector precisely the infrastructures and technologies that enable full data control, transparency and long-term independence,” summarises René Petters, Business Line Manager for the public sector at GISA.
Networked ecosystem for practical use
In addition to insights into the GISA AI Family, the event offered ample opportunity for exchange and discussion: What technical requirements do local authorities need? How can internal knowledge sources be securely connected? Which processes benefit from the use of AI in the short term?
Sindy Geisler, Manager Business & Strategy Public at GISA, sums up: ‘The event demonstrated the enormous potential of inter-municipal cooperation: when local authorities share AI solutions, everyone benefits. By sharing resources, reusable service instructions and project plans, and jointly supporting further developments, all participants not only save time and personnel, but also create sustainable, secure and future-proof digital structures.’
Participants received first-hand answers from contributions from local authorities, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Digital Affairs of the State of Saxony-Anhalt, and GISA’s information security, innovation and AI product development departments.
Find out more about digital sovereignty with GISA here: https://www.gisa.de/public/digitale-souveraenitaet/
