Public sector AI deployments operate under constraints absent from commercial contexts: procurement regulations, public accountability, freedom of information obligations, and the high-stakes nature of decisions affecting citizens’ access to benefits, housing, and public safety. AI use in government is increasingly regulated, the EU AI Act classifies many public sector applications (benefits decisions, law enforcement) as high-risk, requiring conformity assessments, human oversight mechanisms, and audit trails. The US Executive Order on AI (October 2023) and equivalent national frameworks establish similar obligations. Despite these constraints, the case for AI in government is strong: backlogs in benefit processing, case management, and permitting cause real harm to citizens; AI can reduce processing times without reducing procedural fairness if deployed carefully.