Forrester Says Governments Must Shape Emerging Technology
Government technology leaders face a growing challenge in deciding what to do about emerging technologies, according to Forrester. They must consider the broader implications for the economy, workforce, security, resilience, and society.
Original reporting · forrester.com
Original: “Governments Can’t Just Adopt Emerging Technology — They Must Shape It”
Read “Governments Can’t Just Adopt Emerging Technology — They Must Shape It” at Forrester →
How this was written. ABM Fuel wrote this article with a language model from Forrester’s reporting (model: @cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast); it describes that reporting rather than adding to it. The original, linked above, is the full story.
Key points from Forrester’s report
- Government technology leaders face a growing challenge in deciding what to do about emerging technologies, according to Forrester.
- Government plays a dual role in emerging technology, as both an adopter and a shaper, and must consider the broader implications for the economy, workforce, security, resilience, and society.
- Building an emerging technology agenda around outcomes is crucial, and government leaders should prioritize technologies that can improve mission outcomes, and prepare to govern those that require a broader response.
- Agentic software development is a near-term adoption priority, while AI supercomputing requires a governance response, according to Forrester.
- Government leaders should ask what outcome a technology could improve, what it will take to turn that potential into value, and what wider impact it could create, and consider what role government should play in shaping the technology.
Government technology leaders are struggling to keep up with the rapid advancement of emerging technologies, Forrester reported. The challenge is not just about deciding which technologies to invest in, but also about considering the broader implications for the economy, workforce, security, resilience, and society. This requires a thoughtful approach to emerging technology adoption, one that goes beyond just deciding what to invest in now.
Government plays a dual role in emerging technology, according to Forrester. It is both an adopter and a shaper of technology, using it to improve public and mission outcomes, while also influencing how businesses, communities, and citizens use and experience it. This distinction is important, as not every emerging technology requires the same response. Being innovative does not mean adopting everything, and government leaders must know where to experiment and scale, where to prepare and govern, and where to do both.
Forrester's new report, The Top Emerging Technologies For Public Sector And Government, 2026, separates the roles of adoption and governance, and their implications. Some technologies, such as agentic software development, demand an adoption decision, while others, like AI supercomputing, require a governance response. A few technologies demand both, and government leaders must be able to match their response to the technology.
Agentic software development is a near-term adoption priority, according to Forrester. It gives technology teams a practical opportunity to accelerate software delivery, modernize legacy environments, and improve digital services. Technology leaders in government should test where it can produce measurable mission value now. In contrast, AI supercomputing presents a different question, with leadership questions extending beyond adoption to sovereignty, infrastructure policy, economic competitiveness, security, and national resilience.
Building an emerging technology agenda around outcomes is crucial, Forrester says. Successful adoption is not about chasing new technology, but about connecting it to mission outcomes, testing it deliberately, scaling what proves valuable, and stopping what doesn’t. Government leaders should ask what outcome a technology could improve, what it will take to turn that potential into value, and what wider impact it could create. They should also consider what role government should play in shaping the technology.
The broader emerging technology agenda should be shaped by this discipline, according to Forrester. Government leaders should prioritize technologies that can improve mission outcomes, and prepare to govern those that require a broader response. By doing so, they can ensure that emerging technologies are used to improve public and mission outcomes, while also considering the broader implications for the economy, workforce, security, resilience, and society.
Government technology leaders can learn more about the top emerging technologies for the public sector and government by reading Forrester's report, and then connecting with the company to dig deeper into the implications. Forrester also offers guidance sessions and inquiry time to help leaders navigate the complex world of emerging technology. Additionally, Forrester will be hosting several forums in 2027, including the Forrester Forum Singapore, Forrester Forum Sydney, and Technology & Innovation Forum EMEA, where leaders can learn more about emerging technology and its implications for government.
Questions and answers
What is the role of government in emerging technology?
Government plays a dual role in emerging technology, as both an adopter and a shaper, using it to improve public and mission outcomes, while also influencing how businesses, communities, and citizens use and experience it.
How should government leaders approach emerging technology adoption?
Government leaders should build an emerging technology agenda around outcomes, prioritizing technologies that can improve mission outcomes, and prepare to govern those that require a broader response. They should also ask what outcome a technology could improve, what it will take to turn that potential into value, and what wider impact it could create.
What are some examples of emerging technologies that government leaders should consider?
Examples include agentic software development, which is a near-term adoption priority, and AI supercomputing, which requires a governance response, according to Forrester.
