Navigating the Future
Key Technologies & Trends for the
Public Sector form Jonas Onland,
Hebert Paguas, and Albert Tort at G4I 2025
Navigating the Future
In an era defined by rapid technological advancements, governments worldwide are challenged with not just adopting new technologies but rethinking how these innovations can fundamentally transform governance. At the GovTech 4 Impact World Congress (G4I) 2025 in Madrid, an exceptional panel of experts – Jonas Onland, Chief Vision Officer at Serendipity Tech; Herbert Paguas, Former Director of Digital Government in Uruguay; and Albert Tort, Secretary of Telecommunications and Digital Transformation of Catalonia – shared their insights on how governments can harness technology for effective public service.
Here’s a closer look at what they revealed.
Jonas Onland: A Vision of Human-Centered Innovation
Jonas Onland kicked off the discussion by emphasizing the human aspect of digital transformation. “It’s not just technological innovation; it’s a societal shift,” Onland stressed. He underlined the need for governments to place citizens at the heart of every digital solution, ensuring innovation is human-centered rather than purely tech-driven.
Onland pointed out that the current geopolitical landscape creates both challenges and opportunities, particularly in Europe, urging governments to collaborate with the private sector strategically. His vision is clear: leverage technology to foster meaningful collaboration between public authorities and private entities while safeguarding public interest.
Key technologies Onland highlighted included digital identities, data ownership, robotics, and XR technologies (virtual and augmented reality). He urged governments to proactively address ethical questions, such as those posed by autonomous decision-making by AI and robotics, as these technologies rapidly become mainstream.
For Onland, the city level represents the prime opportunity for change. He advocated that cities must be proactive drivers of technological innovation, creating integrated services rooted in local identities, exemplified by citizen cards that facilitate various civic functions. Onland’s message was clear: “Think global, act local.”
Albert Tort: Digital Transformation as Democratic Renewal
Albert Tort, spearheading Catalonia’s digital transformation, emphasized digital governance as a fundamental pillar of democracy. He passionately described how Catalonia is not merely digitizing services but revolutionizing public administration through technology.
Catalonia’s approach is holistic, built upon seven strategic pillars: transforming administrative procedures into seamless digital services; building user-centric platforms; bolstering cybersecurity; extending digital infrastructure; ensuring robust data management; and fostering continual innovation.
Tort notably underscored the critical role of cybersecurity, highlighting Catalonia’s emphasis on citizen empowerment alongside traditional administrative protection. He shared innovative practices such as leveraging AI for threat detection and incident response automation – techniques that safeguard services proactively rather than reactively.
Moreover, Tort explained how infrastructure such as Catalonia’s expansive public fiber network not only serves connectivity purposes but also facilitates pioneering experiments with quantum security—showcasing the region’s commitment to anticipating and preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.
Ultimately, for Tort, digital transformation is a democratic imperative: “By strengthening public services through technology, we’re strengthening democracy itself.”
Herbert Paguas: Beyond Digital – Transforming Mindsets in Latin America
Herbert Paguas brought a fresh perspective from Latin America, emphasizing that digital transformation must resonate with citizens’ realities to succeed. “Technology must serve the people,” he asserted, “not the other way around.”
Reflecting on his experience as former digital lead for Uruguay, Paguas shared compelling examples such as Uruguay’s pioneering transnational digital identity collaboration with Brazil, a significant achievement in interoperability within Latin America.
Paguas detailed how Latin America’s public sector is shifting toward multi-channel digital solutions, adopting cloud computing, multi-cloud environments, and AI-driven automation to enhance agility and responsiveness. These technologies, he argued, require a fundamental mindset shift in governments: from digitizing existing procedures to entirely rethinking service delivery.
Further advocating for sustainable and inclusive digital solutions, Paguas highlighted digital public infrastructure (DPI) projects like Brazil’s PIX payment system and India’s Aadhaar biometric ID, which have significantly improved citizen engagement and inclusion. He concluded that robust regional standards and greater interoperability could propel Latin America into becoming a global DPI leader.
Key Takeaways: Innovating the Public Sector Through Technology
This insightful panel demonstrated that effective governance in the digital age involves far more than mere adoption of emerging technologies – it requires innovative governance models, bold leadership, and genuine collaboration between the public and private sectors:
- Citizen-Centric Innovation: Tech adoption must prioritize human needs, enhancing real-life experiences for citizens.
- Democratic Imperative: Technology strengthens democracy by making public services more transparent, accessible, and accountable.
- Mindset Transformation: Successful digitalization demands rethinking processes from the ground up, emphasizing meaningful impact over technology alone.
- Sustainable Public Infrastructure: DPI and interoperability emerge as central pillars for creating inclusive and equitable digital public services.
The panelists – Jonas Onland, Albert Tort, and Herbert Paguas, concluded with a shared vision: Governments have an extraordinary opportunity, and indeed a responsibility, to leverage technology to build stronger, more inclusive societies. Their compelling message resonated throughout G4I 2025, emphasizing that the future of governance lies not merely in technology itself, but in how governments use it to uplift their citizens.
G4I 2025 clearly illustrated that the digital revolution in the public sector is just beginning – and the possibilities are limitless.