AI Changes: Buy vs. Build

AI is changing the choices public agencies face when planning new technology. Work that once required lengthy procurements or expensive custom software can now sometimes be prototyped, tested, or improved by public-sector teams using generative and agentic AI.

In this workshop, you will explore how AI is changing the economics of government technology and what that means for buy-versus-build decisions. You will learn how to assess when to purchase commercial tools, when to build internally, and when to combine both approaches to create services that are sustainable, accountable, and valuable to the public.